Vistra begins to disconnect batteries following recent fires at storage facility

Moss Landing CALIF. (KION) - Cleanup efforts begin in Moss Landing following recent fires at the Vistra Energy's lithium-ion battery storage facility. 

Crews are beginning the process of "De-linking" or disconnecting burnt batteries from ones not impacted by the fires.

Vistra explains this reduces the risk of the batteries reigniting before they can remove them and demolish the building. 

Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, who is also a member of the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, says debris from the fires will not be disposed of locally. 

"I just about guarantee that there is no place in the Monterey Bay area that will take that kind of debris, at least the heavy metal part of it, with the lithium or any parts of the battery because those are considered hazardous waste," said Church.

Church adds local landfills only accept household items. 

He also says that, based on a similar fire last May in San Diego, de-linking the batteries is just the first step in a very long recovery process. 

"When it burned, it was pretty extensive like this, not as bad as this one, but here nine months later, they're still cleaning it up," said Church.

Vistra says the de-linking work will take about 2 weeks.

They added round-the-clock fire watch and air monitoring are ongoing and will continue throughout the demolition process.