We need battery storage, but not next to our high school, sea otter nursery, and residential areas. We are talking about an evacuation situation because of fire and the release of toxic smoke.
These installations catch on fire. With large-scale lithium ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) there have been 40 known fires in recent years, according to research from Newcastle University.
These fires happen because lithium ion batteries can overheat during charging. Once a battery overheats and the process of “thermal runaway” occurs, it can be nearly impossible to extinguish.
An example from San Diego County is the Otay Mesa BESS fire that began on May 15 this year.
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, an evacuation order was issued and the fire took 10 days to extinguish.
The newspaper also stated that Cal Fire officials estimated that crews sprayed 8 million gallons of water to keep the fire contained, along with chemical foam to put the fire out finally.
Where will 8 million gallons, laden with toxic chemicals, go from that site in Morro Bay?
I will vote for safety first.
Debbie Highfill
Morro Bay
This article appears in Oct 31 – Nov 10, 2024.
