{"id":495520,"date":"2026-10-14T06:34:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T06:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/495520\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T06:34:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T06:34:27","slug":"south-orange-county-battery-storage-proposal-sees-application-withdrawn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/495520\/","title":{"rendered":"South Orange County Battery Storage Proposal Sees Application Withdrawn"},"content":{"rendered":"

A battery storage facility proposed for South Orange County<\/a> won\u2019t get built after residents spent years protesting the project, claiming it would be too close to homes and arguing it would pose too great of a wildfire risk.<\/p>\n

The company proposing the project officially withdrew their application<\/a> last month after pressing pause<\/a> on the facility as they looked for different site options.<\/p>\n

Compass Energy Storage, the company behind the proposal, withdrew their application to the California Energy Commission on Sept. 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their notice said the company wasn\u2019t able to find a suitable location for the battery storage facility within their budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis notice is based on the inability to locate an alternative suitable site in proximity to the point of interconnect and due to changed economic conditions associated with the Project,\u201d reads the notice<\/a>, signed by Ricky Davis, vice president of Compass Energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The project would have created a facility on 13 acres of land on the northern edge of San Juan Capistrano with lithium-iron-phosphate batteries connected to the energy grid to store excess power and release it back into the grid when necessary.<\/p>\n

These facilities \u2014 known as Battery Energy Storage Systems \u2014 are generally viewed by supporters as a positive step toward clean energy solutions since the batteries can help store and provide surplus energy, helping reduce the need for additional fossil fuel generation at high-need times.<\/p>\n

But similar facilities have also turned into fire hazards elsewhere within the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A battery storage facility known as Moss Landing in California\u2019s Monterey County ignited in January 2025<\/a>, causing the evacuation of about 1,500 residents and complaints of health concerns<\/a> like headaches, coughing and sore throats.<\/p>\n

There have also been multiple fires at battery energy storage facilities in San Diego County<\/a> over the past few years, including at the Terra-Gen facility in Valley Center, the Gateway Energy facility in Otay Mesa and at the SDG&E facility in Escondido.<\/p>\n

Those facilities utilized an older battery technology, known as nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries, whereas the proposed Compass project would have used lithium iron phosphate batteries.<\/p>\n

A resident group known as BLESSIN \u2014 Ban Lithium Energy Storage Systems in Neighborhoods \u2014 spent years railing against the project proposed in OC, arguing the proposal would create a severe wildfire risk near schools and homes.<\/p>\n

During the Laguna Niguel City Council meeting on Oct. 6, Mayor Gene Johns commended several of the group\u2019s leaders for successfully killing the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a 13-acre facility they were going to build \u2014 1,500 feet away from homes here in Laguna Niguel,\u201d Johns told members of the resident group during the meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of your efforts, you put together a great group of people with great knowledge, and you fought a $80 billion worldwide company and showed them it was unsafe and it didn\u2019t belong here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Assemblymember Laurie Davies also attended the meeting to commend the community for their efforts.<\/p>\n

\"\"Assemblymember Laurie Davies speaks at the Laguna Niguel City Council meeting on Oct. 6. Credit: Laguna Niguel City Council meeting livestream.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are community superheroes,\u201d Davies said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou came together and we were able to get the California Energy Commission to actually come here,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen they left, they said this was the most respectful community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim Lineberger \u2014 spokesperson representing Engie North America, the parent company of Compass Energy \u2014 thanked the California Energy Commission and the community\u2019s engagement in a Saturday email to Voice of OC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this specific project has been suspended, ENGIE remains committed to working with Orange County, local jurisdictions across California, and the CEC to advance clean, reliable, affordable, and safe electricity solutions for Californians,\u201d Lineberger wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted multiple times to prohibit the construction of new commercial energy storage systems after the applicant previously submitted requests at the city level.<\/p>\n

After the city rejected the project, the applicant turned to the state instead<\/a>, filing an application through the California Energy Commission, which had the power to bypass the city\u2019s previous rulings and approve the project.<\/p>\n

A host of elected officials also spoke out against the project, including Supervisor Katrina Foley, Rep. Mike Levin, Assemblymember Diane Dixon and San Juan Capistrano city leaders.<\/p>\n

Cathleen Pryor, BLESSIN president, said the group supports clean energy but only when community members are engaged within the planning process to ensure safety for families and homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe support responsible clean energy development,\u201d Pryor said. \u201cAt the same time, clean energy infrastructure must be carefully evaluated and appropriately located.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cResidents should never be excluded from decisions affecting the safety of their homes, animals, families, evacuation routes, open spaces and quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angelina Hicks is the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service Editor. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.<\/p>\n

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