Fire destroys 15MW battery storage system at Kahuku wind project, Hawaii
EIR-0920Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 18 September 2026.
A fire destroyed a 15MW battery energy storage system at the 30MW Kahuku Wind project on the North Shore of Hawaii in early August 2012. The system, known as the Dynamic Power Resource and supplied by Xtreme Power, used lead-acid batteries together with controls and power electronics to absorb and release power and smooth the wind project's output to the grid. It had been commissioned in March 2011 and was described at the time as the largest operating wind energy storage system in North America. The source does not report injuries, the response, or the effect on the wind turbines.
The source does not state a cause of the fire.
- Large-scale battery storage systems, including early-generation lead-acid installations, need fire detection and suppression matched to the specific chemistry and configuration in use.
- Projects that rely on co-located storage for grid balancing should hold contingency plans for loss of the storage system to fire or other failure.
- Early utility-scale deployments of a storage technology warrant enhanced monitoring and independent safety review given limited operating history.
Published 2026-09-16. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.