The California Energy Commission will hold its first meeting for the public this week as it considers a proposed lithium battery storage facility to be located in San Juan Capistrano, near the 5 freeway.
Compass Energy Storage, a subsidiary of Engie North America, filed its application more than a year ago, and after review, the commission deemed it complete in late April, kicking off a 270-day certification process.
Proposed is a 250-megawatt battery energy storage system, or BESS, that could collect excess energy from the power grid, store it, and then discharge it back to the grid during periods of peak demand. There are more than 100 facilities of this kind in Southern California, including a few in Orange County.
On Thursday, May 29, the energy commission hosts its first meeting for the public, during which the plans for the project and its environmental impacts will be discussed to provide more information. A decision on the project would come later in the year, following the completion of the environmental review and public comment process, commission officials said.
This project is one of three being considered under a 2022 law that broadened the energy commission’s authority to facilitate renewable energy projects in support of California’s goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045.
In February, the commission approved a 2,300-megawatt solar and battery storage project proposed on retired agricultural land in Fresno County, but in March, it denied a proposal in Shasta County. There, the CEC cited concerns over environmental impacts, including wildfire risks, damage to forests and wildlife habitats, and conflicts with local land use laws.
A group of concerned South Orange County residents and lawmakers have been raising some of the same safety concerns with the Engie project and are trying to convince the CEC that it should not be allowed in its current proposed location in the San Juan Capistrano hills near homes. Hoping to gain public traction, they have scheduled a press conference on Wednesday, May 28, on the Laguna Niguel ridge that overlooks the proposed site that once belonged to Saddleback Church.
Several local officials, including Laguna Niguel Mayor Ray Gennawey, San Juan Capistrano Mayor Troy Bourne and San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond are expected to appear at the press conference.
The public outreach efforts follow the formation of a resident group, BLESSIN, short for Ban Lithium Energy Storage Systems in Neighborhoods, last year by Laguna Niguel realtor and resident Kathleen Pryor.
“There is so much community unrest and opposition to this project because of concern for public safety,” said Theresa Ford, another BLESSIN member. “Lithium is volatile and even the ‘safer’ technology has had failures. Safer is just not good enough in an area so close to residents and schools. “
Engie officials said they considered 17 other sites in Orange County and the San Juan Capistrano location is safe and the best option.
In addition to moving through the CEC process and completing an EIR, Engie officials said they will “prioritize community engagement to ensure residents have an opportunity to have their concerns addressed with factual and accurate information.”
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, sent a letter to the CEC in opposition to the location of the battery storage site.
“The project would be situated near sensitive areas – relatively close to homes and adjacent to Trabuco Creek – and alongside critical infrastructure – primarily, Interstate 5,” he wrote. “Should there be any kind of disaster at the project, nearby residents may be severely impacted, as could the water quality of the creek. Any extended shutdown of I-5 would hurt the commerce of our region.
Additionally, the Association of California Cities-Orange County also sent in a letter penned by the group’s president, Dana Point Councilmember Jamey Federico, opposing the location, while underscoring the group’s understanding and support of the state’s need to transition to cleaner energy.
Federico included concerns about extinguishing lithium-ion battery fires, pointing to an incident in Monterey County in January that required evacuating residents as a “stark and deeply troubling example.”
Federico suggested that until the results of that fire and other recent incidents are “transparently investigated and shared with the public,” the commission should impose a moratorium on new BESS projects, especially those located near dense urban populations and wildland areas.
The discussion at this week’s commission meeting will include a presentation from Engie officials, who will describe the project’s safety features and their collaboration with the Orange County Fire Authority on the plan, said Renee Robin, the energy company’s director of permitting and planning.
“We have implemented all requested safety and site design modifications,” she said in a statement, adding that among the project’s safety features are a non-combustible perimeter wall, vegetation management, a landscaping buffer, infrared cameras, air quality monitors and a 24/7 battery management system.
“An additional plume analysis was conducted at the request of the CEC, which further demonstrated that even in the most extreme and unlikely hypothetical conditions, contaminant levels would be lower than current background conditions,” Robin also said.
If approved, the BESS would connect to the existing San Diego Gas & Electric transmission system to transfer power to and from the battery system to help when the state’s grid is most stressed, especially from 4 to 9 p.m., Engie officials said. Batteries can help reduce the risk of rolling power outages and replace the use of natural gas to generate electricity during those critical hours when power use is at its highest.
Engie officials said the project’s strong safety measures, location and local benefits have also drawn a diverse and growing collection of favorable nods in support, including business groups, labor unions and environmental groups.
Thursday’s meeting will be open to the public starting at 10 a.m. in the board room of the Capistrano Unified School District, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano. Find more information and how to watch online at energy.ca.gov.
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