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Vistra withdraws plans for Morro Bay battery storage facility

November 19, 2025

Artist rendering of proposed Morro Bay battery storage facility

By KAREN VELIE

In the latest twist in the controversial plan to build a battery storage facility in Morro Bay, in late October Vistra Energy informed the California Energy Commission it is no longer “advancing the project. A month earlier, Vista withdrew its application from the California Independent System Operator queue.

Vistra, a Texas-based energy company, had plans to construct and operate a 600-megawatt battery storage facility on approximately 24 acres of a roughly 70-acre site. However, a majority of residents had voiced concerns the facility will endanger the public while negatively impacting tourism and the fishing industry.

In Oct. 2024, Vistra asked the city to pause its municipal consideration while the company sought 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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Farming coulombs would best be on the eastern Carrizo Plain. Diversity in transmission lines exist and not much else but the San Andreas Fault.


0

I hear they plan on taking the Alex Madonna approach. They have applied to turn the facility into a pig farm and slaughtering facility. They’ve contracted to keep the smoke stacks up in order to burn off the tallow from the Chicharrón produced on site. I hear they are planning on hiring a lot of local worker too, no skills required! Just a love for evisceration and the inability to smell is all that is needed.

I wonder how the public would REACT to that Alliance? ;-)


-6

The CCC has been a short sighted agency since its founding in the 1970’s. The Coastal Act was designed to protect and preserve the coast for future generations, but has been turned, by the Druid Cult Class, into a cudgel against human population along a massive stretch of California. The CCC is it’s instrument.


-2

I guess Diablo doesn’t look so bad anymore. One way or another folks, we need energy. No morro bay power plant,no Diablo nuclear plant, no offshore wind energy, no battery storage, I guess it’s time to start rubbing those sticks together and hoping for the best.


13

There sits what once was a perfectly functioning natural gas power plant. It ran for decades , but was closed by people with very silly luxury beliefs..

Our “ leaders” lol


32

It closed due to economics of running an aging facility. There was also a Chevron deep sea port and pier in MB too, but the Ocean decided otherwise. It too closed for economic reasons during that time period.

With AI coming, taking any production offline is foolhardy. That we can agree on.


-3

Actually Mr Yan, after decades of use, the coastal commission- with the help of an “ environmental “ group decided they didn’t like the warm water discharge and worried about fish larve in the immediate area. They then decided to mandate crazy cooling towers in an effort to close the plant. The ploy worked. Their luxury beliefs prevailed. It was a dopey move then and the plant could be redeployed if it wasn’t for the very same Coastal Commission.


3

Call me a nitpicker but a battery storage facility is a battery warehouse, an energy storage facility or storage battery facility is more appropriate.


-6

Thank Heaven! May Morro Bay remain a sleepy little place as long as possible. I agree with Francesca – find a better ‘industrial’ place-not in our front yard.


24

YAAAAAAAAY! There are safer batteries in development and there must be better places to put them!


22

How about next door to every government official.


17

As long as Gavin Newsom is in charge of the state nothing will be done to upset the populous. If by some unfortunate chance he is elected president that battery plant construction will start the next day.


22