The fire erupted during an initial trial of the high-profile
energy project known as the Victorian Big Battery near Melbourne on Friday
morning local time, authorities said, adding that nobody was injured and the
facility was evacuated.
"Neoen and Tesla are working closely with emergency
services on site to manage the situation," Neoen Managing Director Louis
de Sambucy said in a statement.
The site had been disconnected from the grid and "there
will be no impact to the electricity supply", added de Sambucy.
The statement did not give the cause of the fire.
Fire Rescue Victoria said crews with breathing apparatus
were working to stop the blaze spreading from the 13-tonne battery to nearby
batteries at the site.
A fire department scientific officer was conducting
atmospheric monitoring, it added, although it said there was no threat to the
community.
A Tesla spokesperson in Australia could not immediately be
contacted.
The total cost of the project has not been disclosed, but
Neoen won AUD 160 million (roughly Rs. 870 crores) in cheap finance from the
Australian government earlier this year to help fund the big battery designed
to produce 450MWh of electricity.
Tesla supplied its Megapack technology for the project,
which is due to start operating in time for the Australian summer, which begins
in December.
© Reuters
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