Battery cabinet fire during grid connection test at Lanyu Power Plant
Dec 2023Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Lanyu Power Plant, Lanyu, Taitung County, Taiwan
- Operator
- Taipower
- What
- Battery cabinet fire during grid connection test
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Suspected short circuit during grid connection test
Get the next one by email
Free alerts on battery storage incidents in Taiwan, and an email when EIR-0119 is updated. No account needed; unsubscribe in one click.
Confirm your email and every battery storage incident on the register arrives at once as a spreadsheet (CSV), free.
Get a free sample brief Three complete verified records and the incidents-per-GW table, by email within a minute.
We will also email you about the register's paid records and plans, at most once a week and three times in all. You can stop these at any time. By signing up you agree to the privacy policy.
What happened
A battery cabinet installed outside the Lanyu Power Plant on Lanyu (Orchid Island), Taitung County, Taiwan, operated by Taipower, caught fire during testing of a newly added energy storage system. The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit that occurred while the system was undergoing a grid connection test. Plant staff and testers acted quickly to contain the blaze, and the local fire brigade was called to monitor the area to prevent the fire spreading to nearby facilities.
Because the battery chemistry involved is not suitable for direct water suppression, firefighters used metal fire extinguishers and cooling measures instead of hoses, and kept watch on the site for around one day until the situation was fully controlled. The plant's normal operations were not affected by the incident, and no injuries were reported.
Contributing factors
A suspected short circuit occurring during commissioning or grid connection testing of the newly installed battery storage system. The lithium ion battery chemistry involved is incompatible with direct water-based firefighting, requiring alternative suppression methods.
Lessons learned
- Battery cabinets in new storage systems can short circuit during grid connection tests, so operators must add close supervision and monitoring throughout commissioning.
- Lithium ion battery fires cannot use water hoses, so response plans must specify metal extinguishers and controlled cooling from the outset.
- Island sites need pre-agreed local response plans with battery operators because logistics slow external help.
More lessons on detection and monitoring, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Exact cause of the short circuit
- Battery cabinet model and age
- Cost of damage and response
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
