Opponents challenge proposed Orange County battery facility linked to SDG&E

Map of the proposed battery storage site in Orange County Photo courtesy of city of San Juan Capistrano Leaders and residents voiced opposition to a proposed battery vigor storage facility linked to SDG E that they say poses key community safety risks The site in San Juan Capistrano would include lithium-iron phosphate batteries transformers a switchyard and a collector substation to hook up with the San Diego Gas Electric Trabuco to Capistrano -kilovolt transmission line Compass Vitality Storage LLC is proposing to build the -megawatt battery strength storage system on acres at Camino Capistrano and Interstate The project can be approved by the California Resource Commission which hosted the Thursday hearing at the Capistrano Unified School District based on a state law meant to add to California s renewable power efforts It has drawn opposition from Rep Mike Levin a Democrat whose district includes parts of North County and extends into Orange County Orange County Board Vice Chairwoman Katrina Foley San Juan Capistrano Mayor Troy Bourne and Assemblywoman Diane Dixon R-Newport Beach The commission s leaders emphasized that no decision would be made during Thursday s hearing The project faces a vote later this year after authorities continue scrutinizing the pros and cons An interconnection agreement with SDG E and the California Independent System Operator has been implemented according to the commission If approvals are secured following construction of the switchyard by Compass Vigor Storage LLC ownership and operations would transfer to SDG E Representatives for the project attempted to assure the constituents that the facility would pose little danger in incident of fire Critics have pointed to promising populace safety risks with only one main access point in occurrence of a fire Land use environmental attorney Renee Robin narrated the commission that battery storage facilities are essential to meet the potential demand The biggest issue for all of us is when we have excess solar power in our grid Robin announced the site is especially suited for the project because it is next to an existing transmission line we can tap into that cam accommodate of the project s power without any curtailment This is a very rare commodity in California and it s an access to that region which has to be able to address the demand which is expected to double in Orange County by The project could generate up to million to the state county and local regime and million in sales tax revenue she mentioned It would require construction jobs and eight permanent operational jobs on site Functionaries revealed the facility would feature outdoor battery containers which would limit the pitfall of fire spreading Bourne however declared he was genuinely part of an effort to redevelop the site and argued it can t be done This site cannot be safely developed and it has nothing to do with a battery storage facility the mayor reported This site can t be developed until the creek erosion problems can be solved Bourne announced the city supports green capacity efforts We accept battery storage is part of the green potency answer We believe that to be true he explained But we reject the suggestion made by the application that there is no fire danger here This is a new equipment and while I think we can state definitively that battery storage facilities are safer than they used to be we can also say they re not as safe as we would like them to be Bourne who is also on the Orange County Fire Authority board stated local firefighters strongly oppose the project Foley mentioned she also is a big booster of renewable potential initiatives We re building a battery strength storage system facility at John Wayne Airport and we re doing it the right way Foley declared Se added that such systems in high-risk fire zones have the promising to be catastrophic I m here to ask the commission to deny this project at this location because of the wildfire danger it poses Dixon notified the commission I would encourage you also to consider an alternative site far removed from transportation arterials and residential communities