Carson planning panel denies Ormat—backed 100 MW battery project over safety and location concerns

The Carson Planning Commission on March 10, 2025 voted 5' to deny a proposed 100-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) at 18800 Broadway Avenue, a decision that followed hours of technical testimony and sharply divided public comment.

Planner Kenneka Pompei presented staff—s analysis and recommended adoption of Resolution 26-2900 to deny the site plan and design review (DOR 1935-23), the conditional use permit (CU 1128-23) and to recommend the city council deny the development agreement (DA 33-23). Pompei told commissioners the roughly three-acre site sits near Kaiser Permanente Hospital, Town Avenue Elementary and Victoria Park and that staff had concerns about "thermal runaway" fire, toxic smoke, projectile debris and the development—site—compatibility with sensitive receptors.

"The potential public health and safety risk presented by the project create compatibility concerns with the surrounding uses," Pompei said during her presentation and recommended denial.

Los Angeles County Fire representatives and the applicant gave competing technical perspectives. LA County Fire Chief Richard Stillwagger said the department had reviewed an alternate materials and methods report (AMMR) and used explosion and plume modeling in its technical review, but he repeatedly cautioned that no safety system can offer a 100% guarantee. "With any project we cannot guarantee 100% safety," the chief said, describing tactics firefighters use to contain BESS incidents and noting county-level requirements such as internal gas detection, reinforced perimeter walls and site-specific evacuation planning.

Ormat Technologies—vice president Kyle Snyder told the commission his company had obtained AMMR sign-off and asserted the project met industry standards including NFPA 855 and UL 9540A testing. Snyder emphasized grid and local benefits, saying the Griffith project would deliver investments and jobs and help stabilize the electric grid by storing renewable energy for later use. "We thought that we had achieved staff's request for assurances of safety," Snyder said, noting two years of modeling and a prior county review.

Public comment sharply split the room. Supporters—including Town Avenue Elementary staff, labor representatives and local business and civic leaders—praised Ormat's local outreach, partnership with schools and potential economic benefits. Opponents, including the Carson Economic Justice Alliance, urged fuller environmental review under CEQA/SQA, citing the 2023 Moss Landing incident and arguing that plume modeling, toxicology and an evacuation analysis were needed given the project's proximity to around 7,500 nearby residents and multiple sensitive receptors.

Commissioner deliberations focused on site compatibility and the limits of mitigation. Several commissioners said they were persuaded that even with engineering controls and AMMR approval, the location immediately adjacent to a hospital, a school and residential neighborhoods created unacceptable risk. Vice Chair Diaz proposed continuing the item to allow staff and the applicant to negotiate additional mitigations; that substitute motion failed on the first procedural vote. The commission then voted to adopt staff—s resolution to deny the permits and recommend denial of the development agreement; staff recorded the outcome as a 5' vote in favor of the denial resolution.

Action details: the commission adopted Resolution 26-2900 to deny site plan and design review number 1935-23 and conditional use permit number 1128-23 and to recommend that the city council deny development agreement number 33-23 for the proposed BESS facility at 18800 Broadway Avenue. The motion carried on a 5' vote.

What happens next: the commission's action is a recommendation on the DA and a formal denial of the local land-use permits before the planning commission. The item record, testimony and public letters were entered into the project file and the matter may return if the applicant pursues a revised proposal, appeals the decision or seeks consideration by the City Council. Ormat representatives said they remain available to provide additional modeling and mitigation measures.

Why this matters: the case highlights the tension between local land-use safety concerns and broader climate and grid-resilience goals. Ormat and supporters framed the project as a needed resilience and climate investment that would deliver jobs and millions of dollars in local revenue, while staff, several commissioners and multiple residents said the project's proximity to sensitive receptors required either relocation or further technical study before approval.

The hearing record includes staff materials, LA County Fire AMMR findings and public letters and petitions that commissioners entered into the official record. The Planning Commission closed the public hearing and moved on to other agenda items.