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.
Moss Landing power plant fire January 2025
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‘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.
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PG&E aims to restart Elkhorn battery facility in June, months after Vistra facility fire
Pacific Gas & Electric plans to restart its Elkhorn battery facility on June 1, months after a fire broke out at the nearby Vistra-owned facility in Moss Land.
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In Moss Landing, activist Erin Brockovich finds a community searching for answers to battery facility fire
Erin Brockovich, whose environmental activism inspired an Oscar-winning film, is serving as a liaison between Moss Landing residents and attorneys in a mass action lawsuit over the January battery storage facility fire. Brockovich joined the lawsuit after receiving dozens of emails from concerned residents. In an interview, she said the Moss Landing community is determined to seek answers.
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Battery storage takes center stage at Santa Cruz climate presentation
Central Coast Community Energy will share information on battery energy storage systems and their relationship to renewable energy during a community meeting in Santa Cruz on March 26.
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In the Public Interest: After Moss Landing fire, state tightens battery storage regulations
As residents of Santa Cruz County worriedly track a battery storage facility proposed outside Watsonville, the California Public Utilities Commission is tightening rules in an effort to prevent another fire such as the one that erupted in January in Moss Landing.
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Explainer: Is the planned Santa Cruz County battery storage facility safer than Moss Landing?
In the wake of January’s fire at a Moss Landing battery plant, Santa Cruz County residents are pushing back against a proposed Watsonville storage facility. While developers tout new safety measures, experts warn that next-generation batteries come with different risks — not necessarily fewer.
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Citing design flaws, Moss Landing restaurant owners sue Vistra over battery plant fire
A new lawsuit from a pair of local restaurant owners alleges that Vistra Corp., owner of the Moss Landing battery plant that erupted in flames in January, knew about design flaws that exacerbated the fire.
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Public outcry grows as residents urge Santa Cruz County to halt battery proposal amid Moss Landing disaster
One month after a lithium-ion battery storage facility just south of the Santa Cruz-Monterey county line erupted into a dayslong blaze that sent plumes of toxic smoke into the air, residents from across Santa Cruz County say they are frustrated by the lack of information and engagement they’ve received from the local government. On Tuesday, several residents demanded a town hall meeting, and vocally opposed any progress on a lithium-ion battery storage facility proposed for outside Watsonville.
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Moss Landing fire: Santa Cruz County tests see no elevated health risks; survey aims to gather info from residents
Santa Cruz County has completed environmental testing to gauge the Moss Landing battery plant fire’s impact on local air, water, soil and agriculture, it announced Friday. While results show that there are “significantly lower” levels of metal in Santa Cruz County than in neighboring Monterey, both counties are circulating a survey to gather data from residents.