New fire breaks out at Moss Landing battery plant in California

Key Points:

• A fire broke out Friday morning at the Moss Landing Power Plant on California's Central Coast, the same site where a massive lithium battery fire occurred in January 2025, prompting evacuation of plant employees and shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents.
• Firefighters stabilized the facility by Friday afternoon, with no active flames reported, but smoldering conditions remained, leading officials to keep the situation under close observation.
• The EPA, involved in overseeing battery removal since last year's fire, activated its emergency response plan and confirmed no hazardous air pollutants were detected during the incident.
• Local leaders expressed frustration and concern over the repeat fire, highlighting the volatility of lithium batteries and ongoing risks due to remaining damaged batteries at the site.
• The Moss Landing facility previously experienced a major lithium battery fire that damaged 55% of its 100,000 batteries, led to multiple lawsuits, and resulted in an EPA-supervised cleanup agreement with the operator, Vistra Corporation.