A fire broke out in the battery storage unit of a renewable energy developer in Valley Center on Monday evening, forcing road closures and evacuation orders, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The fire started around 5:15 p.m. and personnel with the Valley Center Fire Department and SDSO arrived on the scene. The facility's design systems have kept the incident contained, Terra-Gen said.
As a precautionary measure, those living or working within a quarter-mile of the Terra-Gen Energy Storage Facility were ordered to evacuate, according to Terra-Gen. As of 8:15 p.m., that order was lifted, as were the following road closures:
- Valley Center Road at Cole Grade Road
- Valley Center Road at Vesper Road
- Valley Center Road at Mac Tan Lane
- Valley Center Road at Sunset Road
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A temporary evacuation point was set up at Valley Center High School, located at 31322 Cole Grade Rd.
Terra-Gen's Valley Center Energy Storage Facility produces renewable energy and grid reliability to the local area, according to the company's website.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. SkyRanger 7 flew over the facility and saw smoke coming from a storage unit.
