#grid-reliability

#grid-reliability

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground.

More and more, big arrays of lithium-ion batteries are being hooked up to electrical grids around the U.S. to store power that can be discharged in times of high demand. But as more energy storage is added, residents in some places are pushing back due to fears that the systems will go up in flames, as a massive facility in California did earlier this year. Proponents maintain that state-of-the-art battery energy storage systems are safe, but more localities are enacting moratoriums.

PG&E's Elkhorn battery storage system, comprising 256 Tesla megapack batteries, automatically disconnected from the electrical grid when the nearby Vistra battery storage system ignited in January. The Elkhorn system remained inactive until June, when Tesla, which maintains the system, began a series of operational and safety checks in hopes of resuming operations that month. During its tests, a clamp failure in one of the megapacks caused a coolant leak.

The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant is in the midst of a relicensing process that, if successful, will keep it running for another 20 years. California's last source of round-the-clock, carbon-free nuclear power is undergoing a rigorous review to gauge whether it can operate in a safe and cost-effective manner without taking a major toll on the local environment. While the review is ongoing, keeping the plant running has become vital with tech companies desperately searching for power and the grid feeling the increasing strain.