Tesla Megapack Fire Disrupts California's Largest Battery Storage Site
A fire breaks out in a Tesla Megapack at PG&E's Elkhorn facility in California, prompting highway closures and shelter-in-place warnings. The utility states that safety systems activate properly and no customer power outages occur.
A Tesla Megapack catches fire at PG&E's Elkhorn Battery Storage facility in Moss Landing, California, early in the morning. The site houses 256 Megapacks and stores up to 730 megawatt-hours of energy, playing a crucial role in the state's transition to renewable power by saving clean energy for times when the sun is not shining.
The blaze forces firefighters to disconnect the facility from the grid and shut down a section of nearby Highway 1. Local authorities issue a shelter-in-place advisory for surrounding residents, warning of an ongoing hazardous materials incident and instructing people to close their windows and turn off ventilation systems.
PG&E reports that its safety systems work as designed when the issue is detected and confirms no on-site injuries or electrical outages for customers. This incident adds to a pattern of lithium battery fires at Moss Landing energy sites and follows a similar Tesla Megapack fire that occurs during testing in Geelong, Australia.