Response to Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire: Action Taken

Response to Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire: Action Taken

The Moss Landing Vistra power plant, which suffered a fire in January 2025 that damaged about 55% of its 100,000 lithium-ion batteries, is currently undergoing a battery removal process. This process, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is expected to take over a year due to its technical complexity and safety concerns.

The EPA and Vistra Corp reached a detailed 75-page agreement in July 2025, requiring Vistra to submit work plans for EPA approval before removal. The agreement formally establishes Vistra's obligations and clarifies the EPA's expectations for the battery removal process.

Key safety measures in place include the use of thermal cameras to monitor batteries during handling, individual assessment and careful handling of several hundred-pound battery modules, continuous air monitoring and air sampling around the site during dismantling, a private firefighting company on-site 24/7 to quickly respond to any flare-ups, de-energizing batteries when possible, and on-site treatment for batteries that cannot be de-energized.

Before the agreement, Vistra had already disconnected batteries from the facility infrastructure, removed asbestos-containing fire debris, transported debris safely to licensed landfills, and removed water stored on-site after confirming it was non-hazardous.

Under EPA's guidance, Vistra will de-energize undamaged batteries before transport. Some batteries may not be able to be de-energized and will be treated on the property before disposal. Proper disposal or recycling of battery waste will follow regulatory protocols.

Community safety throughout the project is a priority, with measures such as constant air monitoring, the 24/7 private firefighting company on-site, and an EPA-approved emergency response plan in place. The EPA and Vistra are also developing a Community Involvement Plan to share information on the project.

The EPA's role includes overseeing the safe removal of batteries, ensuring transparency and community engagement, and providing technical assistance for battery removal, transport, recycling, and disposal. The EPA has extensive experience in dealing with batteries after large-scale fires, most recently for the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.

The fire went out on January 18, 2025, and the EPA deployed to the scene for air monitoring from January 17-20. The EPA was later requested to oversee the battery removal process by the State of California. Monterey County Health Department and the State of California are also involved in overseeing activities outside the property fence line and collaborating with EPA on inside-the-fence activities.

Depending on the type of battery waste, recycling may be possible. The fire debris was safely transported and disposed of at the Forward Landfill in Manteca, Calif.

[1] EPA Press Release: EPA to Oversee Removal of Damaged Batteries at Moss Landing Vistra Power Plant [2] Vistra Press Release: Vistra to Voluntarily Respond to Fire at Moss Landing Battery Energy Storage System [3] EPA Notice of Federal Response Action to Vistra Corp. [4] EPA Fact Sheet: Moss Landing Battery Energy Storage System Fire Response and Recovery

1. The Moss Landing Vistra power plant, severely damaged by a fire in January 2025, is currently under the battery removal process, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
2. This complicated and safety-sensitive process is expected to take over a year, largely due to technical complexities.
3. In July 2025, the EPA and Vistra Corp reached a detailed agreement, outlining Vistra's obligations and the EPA's expectations.
4. The agreement stipulates that Vistra must submit work plans for EPA approval before removal.
5. The agreement's key safety measures include thermal camera monitoring, careful handling of battery modules, continuous air monitoring, 24/7 on-site firefighting, and on-site battery treatment.
6. Prior to the agreement, Vistra had already disconnected batteries, removed asbestos debris, transported it to licensed landfills, and drained non-hazardous water on-site.
7. Under EPA's guidance, undamaged batteries will be de-energized before transport, while some non-deenergizable batteries will be treated on the property.
8. Proper disposal or recycling of battery waste will follow regulatory protocols, depending on the type of waste.
9. Community safety is a priority, with constant air monitoring, a 24/7 private firefighting company, and an EPA-approved emergency response plan in place.
10. The EPA is committed to ensuring transparency, community engagement, and technical assistance throughout the battery removal, transport, recycling, and disposal process.
11. In dealing with battery fires, the EPA has extensive experience, recently demonstrated in the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.
12. Upon the fire's containment on January 18, 2025, the EPA was deployed for air monitoring from January 17-20.
13. Later, the EPA was requested to oversee the battery removal process by the State of California.
14. Collaborative oversight is provided by the Monterey County Health Department and the State of California, both responsible for activities outside the property fence line.
15. The fire debris was previously transported and disposed of at the Forward Landfill in Manteca, Calif.
16. Apart from this incident, environmental-science, recycling, waste management, and climate-change remain crucial topics for the industry, personal-finance, and businesses investing in energy, home-and-garden, and real-estate development.
17. This event highlights the importance of data-and-cloud-computing technology and science in addressing environmental challenges, fostering personal-growth, career-development, and even the casino-and-gambling industry, with casino-games online increasingly integrating educational and environmental themes, such as learning-based platforms or lotteries supporting environmental causes.

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