"The Moss Landing storage facility, owned by Texas-based energy company Vistra, was the world's largest of its kind until Jan. 16 when a fire erupted inside the plant and consumed about 55% of the facility's 100,000 battery modules over the course of five days. The site, which also experienced a flare-up a few days after the original fire, is currently the subject of the largest lithium-ion battery cleanup in the Environmental Protection Agency's history."
"Included within the bill are requirements that battery storage developers engage with local fire authorities prior to submitting an application in order to address facility design, assess potential risks and integrate emergency response plans, such as what was already required by Senate Bill 38 also authored by Laird and passed in 2023. The new law also calls for a facility safety inspection before battery storage plants officially go online and the owner must cover the cost of inspections."
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 283 to strengthen safety standards for new battery storage facilities across California. The bill, authored by state Sen. John Laird, requires greater coordination with local fire officials during project development and construction phases. Developers must engage fire authorities before submitting applications to address facility design, assess risks, and integrate emergency response plans. The law mandates a facility safety inspection before plants go online, with owners covering inspection costs. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2026. The measure follows the Moss Landing fire that destroyed roughly 55% of 100,000 modules and prompted a major EPA cleanup.
Read at The Mercury News
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