LG Energy Solution and other battery-related companies have been sued. This is because a large-scale fire at a lithium-ion battery storage facility in California last month damaged the local community.
According to the LA Times on February 7, four residents of Monterey County filed a lawsuit on the previous day against LG Energy Solution, which installed lithium-ion batteries, Vistra Energy, the owner of the storage facility, and PG&E, claiming that they were damaged by a large fire that broke out at the Moss Landing Battery Energy Storage Facility in the area on January 16.
The residents who filed the lawsuit claimed that the company in charge of operating and managing the storage facility did not properly maintain the fire prevention system and did not comply with safety regulations.
According to reports, the fire caused heavy metals to be detected in soil within one mile of the storage facility at levels 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal.
In response to the lawsuit, a PG&E spokesperson said, “The Moss Landing energy storage facility is adjacent to the PG&E substation, but is separated by a wall and operated separately. PG&E employees detected a battery fire and initiated emergency response procedures.”
On the other hand, the LA Times reported that LG Energy Solution declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The largest battery energy storage facility in the country, known as the Moss Landing Battery, has experienced four fires since 2019.
The fire that broke out last month was caused by a malfunctioning fire suppression system inside the lithium-ion battery storage facility.
The Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility is located 18 miles off the coast of Monterey. The fire that broke out this time lasted for four days, and toxic gases were emitted in the huge flames.
At the time, the fire department issued an evacuation order to more than 1,200 residents due to safety concerns.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
