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Vistra seeks state approval, bypassing Morro Bay City Council

November 5, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

With many Morro Bay residents and some public officials opposed to a proposed battery storage facility near the coastline, Vistra Energy has decided to seek state approval while bypassing the city’s consideration.

Vistra, a Texas-based energy company, has plans to construct and operate a 600-megawatt battery storage facility on approximately 24 acres of a roughly 70-acre site. However, residents concerned the facility will endanger the public while negatively impacting tourism and the fishing industry pushed a local ballot initiative that could stop Morro Bay from permitting the project.

AB 205 allows battery storage facilities to garner approval through the California Energy Commission and override local governments. So, even if the local measure succeeds, the company could move forward with state approval.

On Oct. 28, Vistra asked the city to pause its municipal consideration while the company seeks approval from the state through the opt-in certification process.

However AB 205, the new legislation which allows applicants to skip local approvals, requires approvals from both the California Energy Commission and the Coastal Commission. So, even if the California Energy Commission green-lights the project, it would still need approval from the California Coastal Commission, which has criticized the project.

In regards to constructing the proposed battery storage facility near the ocean in Morro Bay, the Coastal Commission found “significant development constraints,” including issues with habitat that supports special status species, the degradation of habitats, and the need for a prohibited sea wall.

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Vistra was always planning on going to Sacramento, regardless of A-24. It’s difficult to understand why Vistra has advocates among the general public. Most rational people can see the insanity and danger of building a huge battery plant on our harbor, among businesses and houses, and in a tsunami zone. I’d like to know if Vistra’s Morro Bay advocates are receiving money as “consultants”

In any case, the Coastal Commission is likely to nix the project


4

State approves it, Vistra builds it, the city and the bay suffer irreparable damage when something goes wrong (ie the 15 day fire at Otay Mesa, requiring millions of gallons of water), and the citizens will still not have a say in the matter.


I read about a guy, head of state type of guy, real bad guy too, that mandated a nuclear power plant to be built, with terrifically unsafe and outdated technology, in Ukraine. The state said everything will be fine, and we really need this….before it melted down and exploded. The citizens that lived near Chernobyl will never be able to move back to their homes and towns, and the ground is contaminated forever.


-1

So battery storage is bad, wind energy is bad, nuclear is bad……… oh well, let’s just get 2 sticks and rub them together. NO WAIT , YOU MAY GET SPLINTERS!!!!!


1

I guess you didn’t read the “..terrifically unsafe and outdated technology..” part? The West hasn’t used pile reactors since the early 1950’s. The Soviets had no problem using piles, because it was cheap and easy to build. They also have a tendency to run away before safety measures can get into operation.


See, I was trying to equate government involvement, with no care for the peoples concerns.


I am a huge fan of nuclear power generation, since we use the far superior, and far safer pass through system that has proven itself over the last 70+ years, that makes electricity 24/7/365, on land parcels that may need but 50 acres. You cannot say that about solar, wind, hydro, gas, or coal generation.


2

I would think that if the City does not approve the land use, the City would not have to provide services to that parcel or its owner. All services (police, fire, water, sewer, roads, etc.). Is there such a thing as reverse annexation? How ’bout eminent domain, take ownership for the public good?

All these actions seem like common sense to me, but in today’s world, probably judicially impossible. But, since it takes the unjudicial system eons to make a decision, maybe at least a delaying tactic. Lawyers manipulate the unjudicial system all the time. Maybe the City needs a smarter lawyer.


1

AB-205 was a Democrat bill. So Dems better not complain about this maneuver. Go Trump!!!


10

So as has been said over and over, prop a24 is a huge waste of time and money. Vistra went straight to the state bypassing morro bay entirely. But if 24 passes we now have even more beurocracy and misunderstandings coming our way. We will need to have public votes for even minor zoning changes on a prime piece of real estate.

Please folks, look up the definition of representative government. If you don’t like who represents you than change them not the process.


0

You don’t get it, do you-

Any project that is conforming to the current land use designation of visitor serving/commercial goes through the traditional approval process that the prior council VOTED 5-0 to put in place. All A24 does is ensure this. This citizen’s initiative just adds to representative democracy, it doesn’t replace it.


2

Dang who runs this company?… The Mafia?… Take your business elsewhere…


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