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A 13-ton Tesla Megapack caught fire on Friday morning at a battery storage facility in southeast Australia. The fire occurred during testing between 10 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. local time, according to Victorian Big Battery. The regional fire department said a specialized fire team had been dispatched to the site in Geelong, Victoria. Firefighters were using a hazardous material protection device designed for hazardous chemical spills and specialized drones to perform atmospheric surveillance, according to Fire Rescue Victoria.
The site was evacuated and there were no injuries, Victorian Big Battery said in a statement. He added that the site had been disconnected from the power grid and that there would be no impact on the power supply. French energy company Neoen, which operates the facility, and contractor Tesla are working with emergency services to deal with the situation.
In the aftermath of the blaze, a toxic smoke warning has been issued in neighboring areas of Batesford, Bell Post Hill, Lovely Banks and Moorabool, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. Residents have been warned to move inside, close windows, vents and chimneys, and bring their pets inside.
The Victorian Big Battery site, a 300 MW / 450 MWh battery storage facility, is seen as key to the Victoria government’s 50% renewable energy target by 2030. It follows the success of Neoen and the 100 MW / 129 MWh battery farm at Hornsdale, South Australia, which was completed ahead of schedule and delivered millions of dollars in savings for market players and consumers. Both sites essentially provide a regional energy reserve when renewable energy is not available, effectively bridging the gap when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
In February, Neoen announced that the Victorian Big Battery would use Tesla’s mega-packs – utility-sized batteries produced in the company’s Gigafactory – and Autobidder software to sell power to the grid. Victorian Big Battery has a contract with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). As part of the pact, the site will provide energy stability by unlocking an additional 250 MW of peak capacity on the existing Victoria-New South Wales interconnector over the next decade of Australian summers.
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on Engadget.
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