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Off The Lip: Moss Landing Lithium Fires

Doug Erickson

Photo by Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel

Explore the Future of Energy at Moss Landing: Live on Off The Lip Radio Show

Join us on February 25th at 6:00 PM for a must-listen episode of the Off The Lip Radio Show at the Santa Cruz Boardroom, where the future of energy in Moss Landing takes center stage. This special broadcast features an expert panel tackling the urgent need for large-scale energy storage solutions, along with a call for greater transparency for taxpayers and the local community.

The discussion will include insights from:

  • Toby Corey, former CRO of Tesla Solar City, bringing his industry expertise and perspective on sustainable energy innovation.

  • Justin Cummings, 3rd District Supervisor and California Coastal Commission Board Member, offering a local governance viewpoint on environmental impact and regulatory oversight.

  • Professor Madeline Adamczeski, a leading academic voice addressing the scientific and societal implications of energy storage technologies.

Moss Landing has long been a focal point of energy development, with recent lithium battery fires raising questions about safety, sustainability, and community impact. This live conversation will delve into what’s next for the region—balancing California’s renewable energy goals with the need to protect residents and the environment.

Whether you’re a local resident, environmental advocate, or simply curious about the future of clean energy, don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from the experts shaping the conversation. Mark your calendar and tune in to the Off The Lip Radio Show or at the Santa Cruz Boardroom on February 25th at 6:00 PM —it’s a discussion you won’t want to miss!

February 24, 2025 Update from Manu Koenig, 1st District Supervisor:

Under direction of the Board of Supervisors, County staff initiated comprehensive environmental testing through the Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner and Santa Cruz County Environmental Health. Testing focused on soil, plant material, surface water, and sediment in South County, which was most likely to be impacted by the fire.  

Results indicate that metal levels detected in Santa Cruz County are significantly lower than samples collected in Monterey County closer to the Moss Landing site and do not suggest elevated public health risks or food safety concerns. Testing of South County lakes, for example, showed cobalt levels were several orders of magnitude lower than samples collected in the vicinity of Elkhorn Slough.  

Many metals tested, including cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium, occur naturally and may not be linked to the fire, and their presence should not be presumed to represent a public health concern. Manganese, for example, is added to fertilizer to support healthy plants, and other metals are considered essential micronutrients when present at safe levels. 

Samples taken from agricultural soils were taken at the surface and subsurface levels for comparison. No elevated levels of metals were found in surface samples, consistent with the recent Department of Toxic Substances Control finding that “there are not elevated metals associated with the fire in soil” near Moss Landing.  

Initial plant material testing identified two outliers with elevated cobalt and nickel levels. However, follow-up testing showed a significant decline in these levels, possibly due to plant water uptake in the field. Absent background data, it is difficult to attribute the presence of metals to the Moss Landing fire. 

Surface water and sediment samples were collected from multiple locations, including Drew Lake, Kelly Lake, Pinto Lake and Watsonville Slough, with additional samples collected at Antonelli Pond, Loch Lomond Reservoir and Forest Lake as spatial controls due to the lack of background data. Metals detected were below U.S. Environmental Protections Agency screening thresholds, with the exception of elevated manganese levels at Drew Lake, Watsonville Slough and Antonelli Pond. However, levels were not consistent with deposits from a battery fire and are likely due to natural or other man made sources, such as fertilizer usage.

Santa Cruz County continues to collaborate with Monterey County and state agencies to monitor environmental conditions.

Survey Available

Residents concerned about health effects related to the Moss Landing fire are encouraged to complete a regional survey available at: 

Disconnection Process

The disconnection process for the remaining lithium-ion batteries at the 300-MW Phase I Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility began last Saturday, February 22. 

Since the initial fire, Vistra has been working in consultation with U.S. EPA on developing procedures to isolate the batteries safely and efficiently since the damaged batteries pose a potential fire and health risk. The Monterey North County Fire Protection District will also review these plans.

The first phase of the delinking process includes approximately one third of the remaining individual battery modules and is estimated to be complete in two weeks. The remaining batteries are in areas of the building that are not currently safe to enter, therefore, once the demolition of the damaged building near the remaining batteries is complete, the rest of the batteries will be delinked.

Future Planning

The Santa Cruz County Planning Department has updated its page for the proposed 90 Minto Road battery storage facility outside of Watsonville. You can see it here. This application has not yet been deemed complete and will still need to undergo environmental review and multiple public hearings. At the same time the Board of Supervisors will be updating the County's laws related to energy storage to ensure greater local control. The next anticipated date for the Board to review this issue is April 29th.

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