South Orange County residents decry proposal to build battery storage facility

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (KABC) -- A battle is brewing in south Orange County over a proposed lithium battery storage facility in San Juan Capistrano.

"The initial designs of this project make it look a little like the port of L.A. and Long Beach in Laguna Niguel, with 1,100 shipping containers," said David Raslowsky of Laguna Niguel.

Compass Energy Storage is proposing to build a 250-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) on 13 acres of land it owned by Saddleback Church.

But in 2022, the city of San Juan Capistrano rejected the renewable company's application for the project. That's when Compass Energy Solutions decided to bypass the city's approval process and go straight the California Energy Commission.

"Unfortunately, there was a law that was passed by the state and it removes local control, which means that our cities don't really have a say in what goes in the land of our cities," said Mayor Kelly Jennings of Laguna Niguel,

City officials and residents aren't taking it lying down.

In April, the San Juan Capistrano City Council passed a temporary ban on new commercial battery storage facilities while encouraging residents to write letters to the state energy agency.

"Where the property sits, it is a one-way street in and out. If a fire was to happen there, you would have deaths," said Patricia Cabada, a resident of San Juan Capistrano.

Those concerns are not without merit. This past May, a fire broke out at an Otay Mesa battery storage facility, which burned for several days and forced nearby residents to evacuate.

"Our concern is that it is a fire hazard. There have been several fires from lithium batteries storage facilities, and that is what they want to build here," said Jennings. It butts up against homes. There's a waterway that flows through there."

Instead, residents of both communities want the renewable energy company to consider other locations.

"Many other locations that these facilities can be put into -- that don't interfere with population and the community or the aesthetics of the community -- as well as the dangers and hazards that it brings," said Raslowsky.

While residents are mobilizing for a fight, they are frustrated that they need to.

"Do we not have a voice because we aren't politicians? I mean, make it make sense. Why do the residents have to be put in harm's way, for a potential catastrophe to happen, for anyone to listen?" said Cabada.

In response to a request by Eyewitness News, the California Energy Commission said Compass Energy Solutions LLC has filed an application but is in the preliminary stages and could not comment.

Compass Energy did not respond to a request for a statement.

For more information on the battery storage project, visit the California Energy Commission's website.