Chino residents concerned by city-approved battery storage facility after hazardous La Verne fire

Chino residents are preparing to fight back against a newly approved battery storage facility following a hazardous lithium-ion battery fire that forced hundreds to evacuate their homes in La Verne last week. 

The storage facility, part of the Dirac Energy Storage Project by Aypa, is planned for construction next to the existing Southern California Edison substation across the street from Ayala Park. Though it was previously denied by the city's planning commission in July, it was recently approved by a 4-1 city council vote. It's not expected to be approved by October 6. 

Residents say they were confused by the sudden reversal. 

"I thought most of the residents would say no, and I thought they would listen to the residents," said William Custodial. "Maybe I'm wrong."

With the new facility located so close to homes and public areas, they're concerned that they could be put in the same danger that La Verne residents were when the lithium-ion batteries being stored at the Metropolitan Water District plant caught fire and caused some explosions, then evacuations. 

"I hope that what they've done is they've learned from that mistake," said Fabi, a Chino resident who lives across the street from where the facility will be built. 

The Chino project was approved just a week before the La Verne fire broke out, and now, residents have heightened safety concerns, especially after comments from Shane Chapman, the water district's assistant general manager. 

"It's a risk management conversation, and given the experience that we're going through here, my own opinion at this point: it's not worth the risk," Chapman said. 

In comparison, the Chino Diract proejct aims to store 400 megawatts of power storage to the 1 megawatt of battery units being stored in La Verne.

In a news release shared on Monday, Chino city officials said that fire safety was a "key part" of the project review. 

"The project includes battery management, fire detection and proection systems, and required testing related to battery safety and fire spread," the release said, in part. 

CBS LA reached out to all five Chino City Council members and Mayor Eunice Ulloa for comment on the project, but none responded.