Moss Landing Project Offers Flexible Power Solutions

On December 11, 2020, phase 1 of the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility project in the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, California, was completed. Granite worked in conjunction with Vistra, the project owner, and Fluence, the Prime Contractor, as an integral part of this project as the civil/structural contractor. The Moss Landing Storage Energy Facility is now the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world, operating with 300 megawatts. 

Through advanced innovation, the power plant is creating positive change with sustainable solutions for the future. The plant’s system contains over 4500 battery racks, each with 22 battery modules, which hold excess electricity that can be released when energy demands are high and are contained in a building the length of nearly three football fields.  

“This project diversifies our market share and performance capabilities,” said Granite Project Manager Brian Hussar. “With this Design-Build project, we had to adjust quickly to design changes in to keep up with an ongoing schedule and complete our work the right way the first time.”

The original facility on the Moss Landing Power Plant was constructed in the 1950s and has gone through various updates over the years. Initially, the site had underground obstructions and abandoned utilities. We coordinated with the EPC contractor to identify, investigate, and develop a cost-effective and safe option to mitigate the impacts of the existing features. 

Granite’s involvement in the facility’s energy storage program started in 2019 as part of a structural update to a former oil/steam generator turbine building. Involvement continued into 2020 and 2021 with civil and structural scopes for batteries and support equipment. The scope of the $11 million projects for Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) Contractors included structural updates, former plant cooling system abandonment, concrete slabs, elevated concrete storage decks, fire barriers, high-performance concrete coating, existing utility abandonment, site grading and earthwork, storm drain systems, fire water systems, electrical duct banks, and concrete equipment foundations.

Throughout this multi-phase program, Granite has partnered with Vistra and their EPC Contractors, Burns & McDonnell and Fluence Energy, implementing designs to address the project objectives while working within an active power generation facility, fostering a cohesive team working to achieve the same desired outcome. 

Construction of phase 2 is currently underway and projected for completion by August 2021, adding 100 megawatts of battery storage to the system.