Our commitment to safety
There is no higher priority at Vistra than the safety of our team members, the environment, and the communities we serve. That commitment to safety will extend through the design, construction and operation of our battery energy storage systems.
Battery energy storage is a safe and proven technology with California having safely deployed more than 4,000 MW of battery storage. For decades, battery storage devices have been safely deployed in a variety of circumstances and products. Vistra’s projects will include comprehensive safety systems designed specifically to address safe operation of the batteries.
There is inherent risk in all forms of generating, transporting and storing energy, and all energy sources have experienced events.
Batteries can overheat, which if not properly controlled can lead to thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is a rare internal chemical reaction that releases heat and occurs when the voltage or temperature inside the battery becomes unstable. Safety measures are available and effective. For example, suppression systems already exist that use water or clean agents to address thermal runaway and stop the spread to other batteries.
Vistra energy storage projects will meet or exceed local and state codes and industry standards, such as UL 9540 for utility-scale batteries, and the National Fire Protection Association codes, including NFPA 855, which establishes fire protection criteria to consider and mitigate fire and life safety risks associated with energy storage installations.
Vistra energy storage projects will have multi-level detection systems for smoke, gases, and heat that can automatically trigger the suppression system using water, a clean agent, or both to extinguish and contain any overheating or fire in a battery module.