Battery storage fire burns for days at Idaho Power substation near Melba

A 2 MW battery energy storage system at Idaho Power's substation near Melba, Idaho, caught fire in the early hours of 2 October 2023. The fire burned intermittently until the afternoon of 4 October. The battery system had recently been installed for use as a distribution resource. The blaze did not affect Idaho Power's distribution grid and the substation continued operating throughout the incident. As of 5 October, Idaho Power had not yet been able to investigate the cause because the fire's heat was still too high to allow access. Drones were flown over the site to monitor temperatures. A senior Idaho Power executive noted that similar battery storage fires occur occasionally across the country and are generally uncommon.

Not reported. The cause had not been determined at the time of reporting because residual heat prevented investigators from accessing the unit.

1. Battery energy storage fires can smoulder and reignite over multiple days, requiring extended monitoring before investigators can safely access the unit.
2. Remote monitoring tools such as drones can help operators track fire conditions without exposing personnel to hazards.
3. Substation infrastructure co-located with battery storage should be designed so that a battery fire does not compromise continued grid operation, as was achieved in this case.

newsdata.com/clearing_up/briefs/idaho-powers-2-mw-battery-system-catc...