Blymyer highlights BESS fire safety precautions

The January 16th, 2025 fire at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in Monterey Bay, California—one of the world’s largest BESS facilities—has raised health and safety concerns among some of the area’s residents. Investigations into the cause of the fire are still underway, and state utility investigators and energy experts are advising against overreaction. Researchers have found an increase in heavy metals in the soil near the facility, but no hazardous air conditions have yet been detected.

Rapid response to ensure stringent safety precautions

Under the direction of the U.S. EPA, air quality monitoring has been ongoing. Permanent air-quality monitors have been installed around the plant site’s perimeter and in the surrounding community. Other protocols are also being developed to address possible long-term effects of the fire.

While the natural gas plant at Moss Landing is fully functional, all battery facilities remain offline and the process of de-linking began on February 22, 2025. This involves removal of the electrical connection between battery modules and racks to reduce the potential for re-ignition. The de-linking process, which takes about two weeks, is designed to mitigate the risk of individual batteries interacting with one another and causing further flare-ups. The EPA is closely monitoring this operation.

Blymyer’s approach to BESS fire safety

“There definitely are fire risks associated with BESS projects, but actual fires are rare. The Moss Landing incident is certainly an outlier,” explains Stas Gorbis, Blymyer Director of Commercial and EV Operations. “That said, we take BESS safety precautions very seriously. BESS projects require strict fire protection designs to meet AHJ requirements and adhere to NFPA 855 standards.”

“To ensure we comply with all safety standards associated with fire hazards, Blymyer works with a specialized fire protection engineering consultant for assistance when we’re designing the fire alarm and/or suppression system of a BESS installation,” continues Gorbis. “Safety is a top priority for our company, not just for energy storage initiatives but for every project we undertake. For that reason, we will stay focused on the latest developments at Moss Landing.”