What is Seguro?
One of the largest lithium-ion battery energy storage (BESS) facilities in the world, being proposed in the residentially-zoned Eden Valley community, in San Diego County.
BESS facilities have been notorious for lithium-ion thermal runaway fires that have lasted days, which is why they are typically zoned in industrial areas. The energy industry itself has acknowledged that this is their number one weakness. There has been one large scale BESS fire per month since 2021 proving that these facilities belong where they have zero chance of impacting residents.
Seguro would be a massive, industrial facility.
AI Depiction of approximately five thousand Tesla Model 3 cars. Seguro has the equivalent of more than three times this many Teslas. worth of energy
What is a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)?
BESS facilities are complex systems that hold millions of lithium ion batteries that store energy for when the grid needs it. They buy energy to store when demand is low and then sell it back to the grid when energy is at a premium. While it is very profitable for energy companies , lithium-ion batteries are also prone to “thermal runaway” which is an uncontrollable fire that emits toxic fumes and can last for days. The Seguro project will have millions of individual lithium ion cells distributed in hundreds of container-sized units on a 23 acre facility in Eden Valley, a quiet, unincorporated residential neighborhood near Escondido.
Is there a risk?
90 lithium-ion BESS fires have occurred in the past decade or so, so yes, there is a risk. The industry is very clear about the fact that fire risk cannot be eliminated.
The industry acknowledges risk; it is part of the profit equation.
According to the Energy Power Research Institute (EPRI), the industry’s research group, at least 90 lithium-ion BESS facility fires (link) have occurred since the first facilities first came online with about most occurring in the past 3 years. It is a relatively nascent industry and “risk” is a part of the profit equation. The industry uses the term “planning for failure,” acknowledging the inherent risk these facilities pose.
City of San Diego Fire Department: Presentation on Lithium-ion battery emergencies. BESS are most dangerous, highest risk of injury.
April 29. 2024, Neermoor, Germany. BESS Container catches fire. Autobahn 31 shut down for 6 hours, nearby residences sheltering in place.
A fire every month
On average, we have seen at least one lithium-ion energy storage facility fire every month since at least 2021. EPRI BESS Failure Database
Palomar Hospital officially rejects the Seguro easement due to public safety concerns.
AES Corporation had been in discussions with Palomar Hospital to allow it to run high tension power lines through their property in order to access the substation. A recent fire that had burned for two weeks at a local facility in Otay Mesa illustrated the potential public health hazard this facility could pose to the hospital which is 1600 feet directly upwind from the proposed site.
Statement issued by Jeff Griffith, Chair of the Palomar Healthcare District Board of Directors: full statement here.
Battery Fire Otay Mesa, May 15 - 30, 2024
On May 15th, a BESS fire started at the Gateway Energy Storage facility in an industrial zone in Otay Mesa, San Diego County. The fire was put out several times but reignited repeatedly over six days. Each time, evacuation orders were ordered. 40+ firefighters were on the scene, roads were closed and evacuations were ordered. The nearest inhabited facility, the Denton Correctional Facility 1.5 miles away endured a shelter-in-place order (close windows, shut off ventilation, etc.). The nearest homes are 2 miles away.
This facility came online in 2020 and was the largest in the world at the time with 250MWh of energy. Sited in an industrial area, any fires at the facility would be unlikely to impact residential neighborhoods which are miles away.
The proposed Seguro project will be 5 times larger than this and will be surrounded on all sides by hundreds of homes and 1600 feet from Palomar Hospital. Even a small fire would unfairly impact public safety.
Battery fire at storage facility in Otay Mesa keeps reigniting; 5th Day and Counting May 19, 2024
Concerns grow over proposed battery storage site in North County after Otay Mesa fire May 15, 2024
Battery Fire Escondido, Sept. 4 - 6, 2024
On Sept. 4, a BESS fire started at the SDGE substation in Escondido. Because the project was cited in an industrial area, only businesses had to evacuate. This project, built by AES in partnership with SDGE (link), marks at least three AES projects that have caught fire since 2019, when firefighters in Surprise Arizona were injured by an exploding AES unit (link). In 2022, an AES facility in Chandler, Arizona burnt for several weeks (link).
The Escondido fire required evacuating 500 businesses and the closure of 4 schools. A shelter-in-place order was also issued within the industrial area the project is part of. This comes a week after the City of Escondido approved a resolution to oppose BESS projects until more is done to regulate them. The City Council is adamantly against the Seguro project.
FOX5SANDIEGO.COM
Some North County residents say Escondido Lithium Ion Fire could be a wake up call.
Sept. 6, 2024
Sept. 6, 2024
KPBS.ORG
Escondido lithium battery fire continues to burn as county mulls over moratorium.
Sept. 6, 2024
Everyone: Reach out to the Board of Supervisors and let them know that you don’t support this facility in this location. It should be in an industrial zone due to its size and fire risk. Remind them about the Escondido Battery fire and the Otay Mesa fire that burned for 2 weeks. Click here to email them directly.
Escondido Residents: Reach out to your City Council and tell them you are concerned and oppose the project. Click here to email them.
