New fire breaks out at Moss Landing Power Plant in California; shelter-in-place order issued

Firefighters on California's Central Coast are battling a fire that broke out Friday at the same power plant where a massive lithium battery fire took place last year.

According to the North Monterey County Fire District, the fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant was reported shortly after 6:15 a.m. When crews arrived, they found smoke and fire coming from the north side of the facility.

Firefighters are evacuating plant employees as they work on stabilizing the facility, officials said.

According to the Monterey County Department of Emergency Management, nearby residents in zones MRY-B047, MRY-B050 and MRY-B053, are being told to shelter-in-place. Residents in the impacted areas should close windows and doors and shut off air systems until further notice.

In January 2025, a lithium battery storage facility at the power plant caught fire, leading to 1,200 nearby residents being evacuated and a state of emergency being declared.

Following the fire, Moss Landing residents filed multiple lawsuits against Vistra Corporation, which operated the battery facility where the fire ignited, along with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and other associated companies.