The future of a proposed 400-megawatt battery storage facility in Chino, California, is in doubt after the project failed to gain the necessary votes at a planning commission meeting, CBS Los Angeles reported.
Some supporters view the project as a way to support cleaner, more dependable electricity. Others question the facility's safety, particularly given its proposed location near a public park.
What's happening?
According to CBS Los Angeles, Aypa wants to build the Dirac Energy Storage Project beside an existing Southern California Edison substation and across from Ayala Park. Many residents expressed opposition, though, and on Wednesday night, the city's planning commission voted against the project, putting its future in serious doubt.
The proposed facility would rely on lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, batteries that charge when power is plentiful and discharge back to the grid when demand climbs.
Supporters say this kind of storage is becoming more important as California relies increasingly on renewable energy sources. While the power generated by solar arrays and wind farms can fluctuate, batteries can help keep electricity flowing after sunset and during periods of peak use.
Even so, the scale of the proposed facility and its location continue to worry some nearby residents.
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"That's not good. I guess, because it's next to a park," nearby resident Sal Villanueva told CBS LA.
"Well, if it did catch on fire, how long would that shut down the park?" asked another resident, Richard Rodriguez.
Why does it matter?
Projects like the proposed battery facility can help prevent power shortages, reduce strain on the grid during heat waves, and make it easier to use more wind and solar power without wasting electricity generated during off-peak times.
However, the concerns raised by Chino residents reflect a broader public conversation about battery safety.
As cited by CBS Los Angeles, the Dirac Project website says LFP batteries are more stable in high temperatures than the nickel manganese cobalt batteries used at a facility in Moss Landing, California. That battery-storage facility experienced a fire in January 2025, which forced nearly 1,500 local residents to evacuate.
"It does kind of make me a little worried, like, well, how will that be affected by the heat? Is that something that can catch on fire from the heat?" Rodriguez said of the proposed Chino facility.
What's being done?
For its part, Aypa says the project has been designed to address safety concerns.
For example, according to the project website, the batteries would be installed outdoors so first responders could reach the site from any direction if needed.
The company also points to the chemistry of LFP batteries as a safety advantage.
Chino city officials and the Chino Fire Department both declined to comment to CBS LA.
Villanueva, one of the concerned local residents, said he is open to the proposal if it can be shown to protect the neighborhood.
"It all depends on how they want to store it with these batteries, because sometimes it doesn't go as planned, and you have to be careful," he said.
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