Chino’s latest showdown is not over warehouses or traffic, but over a massive field of batteries planned right across from Ayala Park.
On Wednesday, neighbors packed the Planning Commission chambers as city officials took up a proposal for a utility-scale battery energy storage facility next to a Southern California Edison substation. Residents argued that putting a project of that size beside playgrounds and ball fields is a serious safety and quality-of-life gamble. The hearing put a familiar California tension on full display: neighborhood unease about battery safety versus mounting statewide pressure to beef up grid reliability.
What neighbors told commissioners
Speaker after speaker pressed commissioners on why such a large industrial project should sit just steps from where kids play soccer and families walk their dogs. One neighbor summed it up bluntly: “That’s not good. I guess, because it’s next to a park.”
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, the proposal, known as the Dirac Energy Storage Project, would sit directly beside an existing SCE substation. According to developer materials on Aypa, the design calls for lithium iron phosphate batteries and an outdoor layout intended to give firefighters and other first responders clear access from multiple sides.
Neighbors at the meeting were not convinced that those design choices answered their biggest questions. Residents said they still wanted specifics on evacuation zones, detailed firefighting plans for a worst case, and how the batteries would be handled at the end of their life or if the project is ever decommissioned.
How big is Dirac?
Public filings and industry writeups paint a picture of a sizable facility. CAISO interconnection data and trade reporting indicate the broader Dirac project could be built to connect up to roughly 400 megawatts at SCE’s Chino transmission point. At the same time, a PG&E mid-term reliability contract tied to the Balsam/Dirac package that won approval from the California Public Utilities Commission covers 225 megawatts of nameplate capacity. The CPUC’s approval documents put the contracted portion of the project on track for commercial operation in 2028 (California Public Utilities Commission; industry coverage: Energy-Storage.News).
Where it would go
According to city planning activity files, the Dirac application covers about 11.9 acres across two industrial parcels near Benson and Oaks avenues in Chino and is still listed as “In Review.” The property sits in the city’s M2 (general industrial) zone, right across the street from Ruben S. Ayala Park, the large community park that locals use for sports leagues, walking, and dog outings (City of Chino planning report; City of Chino park information).
Safety concerns and the Moss Landing shadow
Running underneath the Chino debate is the memory of the January 2025 Moss Landing battery fire on the Central Coast. That incident at a large storage site triggered a multi-day emergency response, federal involvement, and evacuation orders that affected roughly 1,200 to 1,500 nearby residents, according to federal response records and local coverage (U.S. EPA).
Aypa and its project materials highlight several design choices that the company says are aimed at avoiding a Moss Landing-style chain reaction: lithium iron phosphate chemistry, compartmentalized outdoor enclosures, and clear, multiple access points for first responders. Critics at the hearing said those general assurances are not enough for a project this close to homes and a major park. They called for detailed, locally tailored emergency response plans and clearly defined evacuation parameters before they would feel comfortable living next door.
What comes next
The Dirac application was scheduled for the Planning Commission’s July 15, 2026 calendar, with commissioners set to hear public comment and review staff materials posted on the city’s Legistar portal (City of Chino).
The City of Chino and the Chino Valley Fire Department did not provide a statement on short notice, according to CBS Los Angeles. The developer, meanwhile, has been working the outreach circuit, including a June open house with the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce, while the permit review continues.
In many ways, the Dirac fight in Chino looks like the same argument playing out all over California: neighborhoods weighing the everyday risk of living next to a massive energy facility against the state’s push to quickly add clean, dispatchable capacity. The commission’s decisions this month will determine whether Dirac moves forward, and if so, under what conditions residents say they need in order to feel safe with a battery yard across from their park.
