Fire crews have finally extinguished a blaze at Victoria’s new Tesla Big Battery, the largest lithium-ion battery in the country, after battling flames for more than three days.
One of the Tesla megapack batteries at the site in Moorabool, near Geelong, caught fire during testing shortly after 10am on Friday.
Smoke billows from a fire at Victoria’s new Tesla Big Battery on Friday.Credit:Nine News
The Country Fire Authority said the fire had “subsided significantly” by Monday morning, but it wasn’t until about 3pm that firefighters finally managed to bring the blaze under control. The CFA later confirmed it had been extinguished.
“Firefighters have successfully completed the operation of opening all doors to the container of the battery, with no sign of fire,” the authority said.
About 150 firefighters from the authority and Fire Rescue Victoria were on the scene over the weekend, as well as more than 30 fire trucks and support vehicles.
The Country Fire Authority said some firefighters and fire trucks would remain at the Moorabool site for 24 hours in case the fire reignited.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control on Monday afternoon.Credit:Nine News
Crews would monitor the damaged units by taking thermal temperature readings every two hours, the authority said.
Authorities had warned of toxic smoke billowing from the site on Friday. Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority was monitoring air quality at the site, and determined it was “good” by Monday afternoon.
A Victorian government spokeswoman said the Country Fire Authority, Energy Safe Victoria and WorkSafe Victoria would work with Neoen, the French renewable energy company that owns and operates the site, and Tesla to do a “full and comprehensive” investigation of the fire.
“This will span investigations into the basis of the fire, how it started and to ensure the site is safe as a workplace,” the government spokeswoman said.
“The battery has been disconnected from Victoria’s energy grid, and the Australian Energy Market Operator has advised there is no impact on our energy security.”
The Victorian Big Battery, with a capacity of 300 megawatts and 450 megawatt-hours, consists of about 210 Tesla megapacks and is located next to AusNet Services’ Moorabool Terminal Station.
It is one of several battery projects that have been announced in recent months.
Earlier this year Origin Energy unveiled ambitious plans to build a 700-megawatt battery at its Eraring coal-fired power station in NSW, which would be the nation’s largest, while AGL is seeking to roll out 1000 megawatts of batteries across several sites.
The Victorian government has committed to spending $84 million over 11 years on the Victorian Big Battery project.
With Nick Toscano
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