The Gateway Energy Storage project in San Diego County, California was the world’s largest when commissioned in August 2020. Since then, its 250-megawatt capacity has become less remarkable, although it is still an achievement. A storage battery fire broke out at the site on Wednesday May 15, 2024, and has been burning stubbornly since then.
Current Status of Gateway Storage Battery Fire
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Department (CAL FIRE) describes the situation as follows:
“Commercial structure fire involving a lithium battery storage facility. Fire has been burning on and off for the last 4 days due to thermal runaway. Fire activity increased last night 5-17-24 and extended into the roof of the building. Fortunately, firefighters have been able to contain the fire to the original building of origin.”
We turned to San Diego Union Tribune for more information. They described an ‘unpredictable’ storage battery fire that re-ignited after firefighters believed they had it under control. But fortunately they soon had the inferno in manageable proportions again, and could rescind an evacuation order affecting local Otay Mesa businesses.
However, CAL FIRE officials still had to tackle the fire from a distance, but were hoping to get closer on the third day, and extinguish it fully. Only then would they be able to hand the site over to the site manager, who had sufficient hazardous material experts to clean up the site themselves.
More About the Gateway Energy Storage Project
The Gateway Energy Storage project is a large-scale, lithium-ion storage battery belonging to grid infrastructure developer LS Power. It delivers electricity during evening peak demand, after charging with solar power during the day.
Robert Rezende is the alternative energy emergency response coordinator for the local fire department. He explains, “You might stop the original fire, but then you may have damage to neighboring batteries that might take two, three, four hours before they start going into thermal runaway.”
More Information
Massive Lithium-Battery Fire Poses Questions
