Tesla Moss Landing power storage facility fire shuts down Highway 1; Residents told to shelter in place

MOSS LANDING -- A Tesla Megapack lithium battery power unit caught fire Tuesday at the massive Moss Landing energy storage facility, shutting down nearby Highway 1 and triggering a shelter in place order for nearby residents.

PG&E told Bloomberg Business News that firefighters were battling to keep the blaze from spreading.  As a precaution, the battery storage facility in Monterey County has been disconnected from the state power grid.

No injuries have been reported. 

The early morning fire triggered a shelter in place order with county officials telling people in the area west of Dolan and Via Tanques roads, south of Struve Road and north of Potrero Road to shut their windows and turn off their ventilation systems.

 The California Highway Patrol closed Highway 1 at 6:59 a.m.  Caltrans officials have estimates that the highway closure in the area would last into the afternoon.

Located below the decommissioned towers of what was once California's largest power plant, the facility is made up of 256 Tesla megapacks that act as one large battery for the state grid.  

When it went online, it immediately became PG&E's largest storage facility.

"So the 182.5 megawatts that Elkhorn provides can power 250,000 homes," said PG&E CEO Patti Poppe at the plant opening. "Typical utility installations have been in the 10, maybe 50 megawatts was a big one. 182 is an extraordinary project."