Risks of moss landing: What can happen in a power plant fire?

A fire has broken out at a battery warehouse adjacent to the gas-fired Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, California, and locals are being urged to shut down air systems and close doors and windows out of an abundance of caution.

The fire started at the lithium-ion battery plant around 15 PT Thursday, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office told ABC7 News, and firefighters were still battling the blaze five hours later. No injuries have been reported, the official said.

Vistra Energy, which owns the facility, said the fire occurred in one of its batteries and that personnel on site had been evacuated.

Jenny Lyon, a spokesperson for the company, told Politico: “The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but an investigation will begin once the fire is out.”

Newsweek reached out to Vistra Energy and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office for comment Friday via email and telephone outside regular business hours, respectively.

The fire in Monterey County comes as California authorities continue to battle a devastating series of wildfires around Los Angeles that have killed at least 25 people and left thousands more homeless.

Could Moss Landing Power Plant Explode?

Authorities have given no indication that the Moss Landing Power Plant is in danger of exploding, and the fire is confined to the adjacent battery facility.

If the fire spreads to the Moss Landing Power Plant itself, the danger of an explosion will increase, as the plant is powered by highly flammable natural gas. The power plant is also likely to store chemicals used for cooling, cleaning or other processes, some of which may be combusted under certain circumstances.

A power plant fire can also cause high-pressure systems, such as steam boilers, to fail or short circuit electrical systems, both of which can trigger an explosion.

What can happen in power plant fires?

A power plant fire can have serious consequences, including local damage and extensive environmental, economic and human effects.

Fires often cause extensive damage to equipment and infrastructure, including destruction of critical systems such as turbines, generators and control functions. This can lead to long-term disruptions and blackouts affecting local or regional energy supplies. This problem can be further aggravated if there is also damage to the network connections.

The environmental impacts of power plant fires can be severe. Fires can release hazardous materials, such as chemicals, ash or even radioactive substances in the case of nuclear power plants. Smoke and contaminated water used to fight the fire can lead to air and water pollution, damage nearby ecosystems and potentially affect public health. These effects can persist long after the fire is out.

What were the worst power plant disasters in American history?

The most infamous power plant disasters in American history include the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania in 1979. A partial meltdown at Unit 2 of the nuclear power plant, caused by equipment failure and human error, released small amounts of radioactive gases into the atmosphere. Although there were no direct deaths, the event eroded public confidence in nuclear power and led to stricter regulatory measures.

Another notable disaster was the Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill in Tennessee in 2008. More than a billion gallons of coal ash slurry breached a containment pond, flooding 300 acres with toxic sludge and contaminating nearby waterways. The clean-up operation lasted for years and cost more than 1 billion.

Have evacuation orders occurred in Moss Landing?

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for a swath of Moss Landing to the ocean south of Elkhorn Slough, north of Monterey Dunes Way and Molera Road and west of both Castroville Boulevard and Elkhorn Road. This covers the following zones: MRY-B037, MRY-B047, MRY-B050, MRY-B051, MRY-B053, MRY-B058 and MRY-B060.

The Castroville Recreation Center at 11261 Crane Street has been turned into a temporary evacuation site.