A fire that spread across two Tesla lithium-ion battery packs at Neoen’s 300MW/450MWh energy storage system (ESS) in Australia took three days to extinguish.
French firm Neoen, which owns and operates the Victorian Big Battery project, said a fire occurred within one of the Tesla megapacks and spread to another during initial testing of the ESS on 30 July.
The system was disconnected from the grid and there was “no impact to the electricity supply”, said Neoen managing director Louis de Sambucy in a statement.
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews wore breathing apparatus as they worked to contain the fire within the 13 tonne lithium-ion battery—which is housed in a shipping container— and stop it spreading to nearby batteries .
A FRV HAZMAT appliance conducted atmospheric monitoring with a Scientific Officer in support.
A Neoen statement read: “Investigation preparations are underway and physical inspections will commence once the CFA [Victorian County Fire Authority] have completed their procedures.
“Testing will resume only once Neoen can be ensured that all security conditions are met.”
The Victorian Country Fire Authority, Energy Safe Victoria and WorkSafe Victoria are set to work with Neoen and Tesla on a “full and comprehensive” investigation of the fire.
The FRV statement did not give the cause of the fire.
The project to modernise the grid and unlock capacity within the existing Victorian electricity network will be delivered by Neoen, Tesla, and network partner AusNet Services.
The project is due to start operating this December.
Tesla’s 3MW megapacks are pre-assembled and pre-tested in one enclosure — including battery modules, bi-directional inverters, a thermal management system, an AC main breaker and controls.
Tesla had not replied to BEST‘s questions at the time of publication.