Tesla Megapack Fire at Nevada Battery Project: Two Units Ignite
Two Tesla Megapacks burst into flames this week at a massive 360 MW battery storage project in Boulder City, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas.
Project Background
Back in 2021, Tesla inked a landmark deal with developer Arevon Energy to supply a record-breaking 2 GW (or 6 GWh) of Megapack battery systems for multiple utility-scale energy storage initiatives. One of these is the Townsite Solar and Storage Facility in Boulder City, which features more than half a million solar panels paired with 360 MWh of Tesla Megapacks for grid-scale energy storage.
Construction on the project kicked off in 2022, aiming to bolster renewable energy integration in the region.
The Incident
The trouble started Tuesday evening around 7 p.m. local time, when the Boulder City Police Department received a 911 call reporting a fire at the site. Responders from the Boulder City Fire Department and the neighboring Henderson Fire Department arrived quickly and discovered one Megapack fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters doused the unit with large volumes of water, but the blaze persisted for hours. Just before midnight, a second Megapack reportedly ignited—though it’s unclear whether the fire spread from the first unit or started independently.
By 12:30 a.m., the Boulder City Fire Department provided an update, stating:
“The fire is in a smoldering phase and has been turned over to the company reps. They will notify us if anything flares up or there are concerns. We are clearing the area at this time.”
The nearby interstate was temporarily shut down due to the smoke and potential hazards, but officials now report the situation is under control.
