A weekend fire at a Monterey County lithium-ion battery plant briefly resulted in evacuation orders for some nearby residents before being rescinded, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
The evacuation order was issued Saturday a few hours after the fire was reported at the Parkfield Solar Plant, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Cal Fire discovered the battery fire when it responded about 11:30 a.m. to a report of a possible wildfire in the area of the plant, also known as the California Flats Solar Project in the 92000 block of Turkey Flat Road, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Five residences were evacuated from the area of the plant, the Sheriff’s Office said. The site is close to the San Luis Obispo, Kings and Fresno county borders.
Technicians from Tesla determined that there was no immediate danger to the public and recommended that the evacuation be lifted, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The California Flats Solar Project is a 280-megawatt solar and battery power station on the Jack Ranch, owned by Hearst Corp.
The electricity is being purchased under long-term contract by Apple for their Cupertino headquarters and Pacific Gas & Electric, according to Hearst.