The first 2 weeks of January have not been great for the push to electrify everything in CA.
Major Fire at California Power Plant (world largest Lithium grid back up) Firefighters say best choice "Let it burn"
- Thread starter alarmguy
- Start date
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I mean, NPD and Douglas Point didn't catch fire and India has an entire reactor program based on Douglas Point
Lithium Ion batteries have been known to have the potential to spontaneously catch fire for their entire existence. This isn't a Chornobyl situation where, despite the design being sketchy as hell, it required somebody doing something incredibly stupid, to spiral out of control. Now yes, batteries that are treated poorly are more likely to experience self-immolation and thermal runaway, but it's a risk with all lithium ion batteries.
The fact this facility has caught fire three times, and that there are 10's of grid scale battery fires on record now, despite there not really being a whole lot of grid scale batteries, points to it really being something that we are willing to take the risk of fire on the chin for, because it "enables" more of what we are told we need to build to "save the planet" which are wind and solar. Because it's part of this "framework" it appears to be able to avoid the scrutiny something that regularly catches fire by itself, would otherwise be subject to.
Grid scale batteries are kind of like communism. <Joke ends prematurely because rules/>
wemay
Site Donor 2023
Sell and cut your losses.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
It would take a lot more than a malfunction for Diablo Canyon to have any sort of release, let alone a significant one. It has robust containment and considerable redundancies in place for shutdown and cooling. If you are interested, I could reach out to some of my contacts and see if you could get a tour of the plant? Might make you feel better about its safety. I know a few people that have toured it several times, but they are in the nuclear advocacy space.
Moss Landing is about an hour south of me in the beautiful Monterrey Bay.
Here's the latest from the SJ Mercury-News.
While the fire is mostly burned out, evacuation orders are still in place as of 11:30 AM.
Here's the latest from the SJ Mercury-News.
While the fire is mostly burned out, evacuation orders are still in place as of 11:30 AM.
Maybe they’re letting them burn so that the ground gets contaminated and the land can be taken over because of hazardous waste in it? A cheap way to get the land.
Oops, I think my thin foil hat slipped off for a second there…
Oops, I think my thin foil hat slipped off for a second there…
Fire Fighting and Lithium Ion batterys are wrords that can't be used together.
Much like gunpowder, they store the energy in a chamical reaction, replete with it's own oxidiser, so the only part of the fire triangle that you can work on is heat.
Interesting debate here...we are trying to build a pumped hydro340/400 MW, 8/6 hours, at a nearby site, and a 500MW 4 hour battery adjacent to the power staton. Community outrage on the former, and a thrust to build batteries instead (from the community).
Ourpower station workers are wary of them, having had an increasing number of incidents of tool and equipment fires over past years.
Much like gunpowder, they store the energy in a chamical reaction, replete with it's own oxidiser, so the only part of the fire triangle that you can work on is heat.
Interesting debate here...we are trying to build a pumped hydro340/400 MW, 8/6 hours, at a nearby site, and a 500MW 4 hour battery adjacent to the power staton. Community outrage on the former, and a thrust to build batteries instead (from the community).
Ourpower station workers are wary of them, having had an increasing number of incidents of tool and equipment fires over past years.
LIVE. Doing a delivery to Pebble Beach and saw it out of the corner of my eye in Castroville, California. The road is closed beyond this point. No one can get any closer.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Looks like there used to be a coal plant there? There's currently a gas plant just east of it (assuming I have the right location)
You know, I'll take you up on that! I've always wanted to do that! I'm sure it will be an impressive tour. Yes! PM me because your profile is restricted.
My point is I think better locations need to be found. I hate to see disaster zones that drain into the ocean. California has large swaths of more inland areas that I think would be better suited.
I often drive Hwy 58 east from Santa Margarita, sometimes all the way to McKittrick The industry sized solar farms in California Valley would seem to me to offer a better "natural compatibility".
========
I don't say this to inflame anyone. It's just a story and a possible trip destination. Having lived here for as long as we have and driven the E46 many dozens of times in the area - it was once pristine desert.
The "town" of California Valley itself is one of those tiny little desert collections of people. There's no grocery, gas, medical, or law enforcement anywhere. It always had a rough and tumble reputation.
When the pot farms went in it attracted crime from the surrounding areas. People were getting shot and killed, their farms raided and harvested in the middle of the night. SLO County eventually prohibited the farms.
But Soda Lake is right there, which has incredible looks that change with the season.
The clarity and desolation of the California Valley region is truly impressive. I loved driving through there in the late afternoon. The shadows cast from the surrounding mountains is truly magnificent!
And aside from the few hundred people who lived on the southwest side of the area there was nothing there except pristine desert floor.
Now that desert floor LITERALLY looks like a huge lake as you drive in, but instead it's thousands and thousands of acres of solar panels. The location makes perfect sense, but at the same time I find it a shame.
But it's progress and I understand that. I'm not being sarcastic.
Scott
PS Visit Soda Lake some time. Don't let me set unrealistic expectations, it's stark but striking at the same time. Watch for the spring time super blooms. Not just Soda Lake, but 50 miles of Hwy 58 hillsides will be covered green with yellow and purple flowers. Gotta time it right though. This year will be a bust. The entire Central Coast is dry as a bone right now.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
The reason it's situated where it is is due to the ocean for cooling water, same reason all the Ontario nukes are on the great lakes. I'll DM you.
Moss Landing Power Plant
In 1949, Pacific Gas and Electricity (PG&E) began construction on the Moss Landing Power Plant. Five natural gas and oil powered steam units were built during the 1950s. Commercial generation started in 1950 with a capacity of 613 MW.
In 1964, the construction of two additional units began (6 and 7), with two new 500-foot (150 m) stacks. These two units had a capacity of 750 MW each for a total of 1500 MW, with 180 feet (55 m) tall boilers. They employed a newer technology using supercritical steam at 3,600 psi (25 MPa).
My back yard... Whale and smoke stacks...
Last night...
Last edited:
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Looks like, from Apple Maps, that units 6/7 have been demo'd and only the stacks remain. Their former turbine hall is where the Phase I batteries were located, and that's what's on fire in your picture.
No comment other than hope no one gets hurt
I just clicked this link and it said it flared up again as of Friday afternoon. News conference was to be held at 3:30 PM.
However, I cannot seem to get any latest information. Seems like all the news organizations there have pay walls.
Last edited:
NIMBY is the California way.