Santa Cruz County supervisors postponed battery storage rules until August 2026, a delay that could push developer New Leaf Energy to sidestep local review and seek faster state approval for its $200 million project.
Moss Landing power plant fire January 2025
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Do battery energy storage systems belong in our communities?
January’s fire at Moss Landing has fueled debate over whether battery energy storage systems belong in local communities. While safety concerns are real, national battery safety expert Matthew Paiss argues that modern BESS fires are rare in proportion to the numbers installed.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Boycott 3CE’s silent support of lithium battery energy storage in our neighborhoods
Local activist Becky Steinbruner says the public needs to boycott Central Coast Community Energy because its leadership refuses to be transparent or answer public questions about the company’s embrace of hazardous lithium battery energy storage facilities.
Posted inLatest News
EPA, Vistra reach agreement for urgent battery cleanup at Moss Landing fire site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached an agreement with Vistra Corp. to remove lithium-ion batteries damaged by a massive fire at its Moss Landing facility in January.
Posted inLatest News
Next county battery storage workshop slated for July 30
The Santa Cruz Commission on the Environment will host the second in a series of public workshops on battery energy storage system technology on Tuesday, July 30.
Posted inLatest News
In wake of Moss Landing fire, experts defend battery technology in Santa Cruz County
As Santa Cruz County officials consider a battery storage facility near Watsonville, experts sought to reassure residents worried after January’s Moss Landing blaze that such facilities are safe.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County to host public meetings on battery energy storage facilities
Months after a massive blaze in Moss Landing, Santa Cruz County will hold public meetings on the safety of battery energy storage facilities. County supervisors are set to consider a proposal to build such a facility near Watsonville.
Posted inLatest News
PG&E delays restart of Elkhorn battery facility after identifying equipment malfunctions
Pacific Gas & Electric is delaying reopening its Elkhorn battery storage facility after identifying equipment malfunctions. In May, the utility company had announced plans to restart operations at its facility on June 1, after being offline since January following the massive fire at a neighboring facility in Moss Landing.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Researchers wanted to understand concerns with batteries in Moss Landing. Their funding just got yanked.
Among the many federal grants canceled by the Trump administration are two related to the Central Coast community that hosts a huge energy storage facility.
Posted inLatest News
‘Not in my backyard’: South County residents renew concerns over battery storage proposal months after Moss Landing blaze
A group of South County residents concerned with a proposal for a 200-megawatt battery storage facility on an apple orchard just outside of Watsonville held a community meeting Monday evening. Residents expressed their disapproval of the project and say they want more transparency from county officials.