TL;DR
Get backup power and energy gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A dataset from the Electric Power Research Institute indicates that the annual rate of US grid battery failures fell by more than 97% between 2016 and 2025, while cumulative installations grew 250-fold. Researchers caution that failures are rare and the dataset is limited, and its tally does not measure the severity of incidents.
The annual failure rate for US grid-scale batteries fell by more than 97% from 2016 to 2025, even as cumulative deployments increased 250-fold, according to an analysis of data from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and installation figures from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. The trend offers new evidence for communities weighing battery projects, though the data do not show how severe each failure was.
EPRI’s dataset tracks reported failures of commercial and grid-scale battery systems, including arcs, fires and explosions. The analysis compared those events in the United States with cumulative installation data. It found the failure rate dropped sharply over the period, while the amount of installed battery capacity grew substantially. The source report describes the rate as annual but does not provide a detailed incident-by-incident breakdown in the material available here.
There were three years in the past decade with no known failures in the dataset. Those zero-event years interrupt a smooth downward line, but they represent periods without recorded incidents, not evidence of a rebound. EPRI’s report also includes global data, but safety rules and development standards vary between countries, making the US-specific comparison relevant to local siting decisions.
The count has limits: it is a small sample and treats failures as events without accounting for their size or consequences. Incidents have ranged from short-lived fires at small installations to serious events. In 2019, a battery fire outside Phoenix sent four emergency responders to hospital with serious injuries, according to the report. A January 2025 fire at California’s Moss Landing facility caused no reported injuries but largely destroyed the power plant and prompted a multi-day evacuation of nearby residents.
How the Data Could Shape Siting
Fire concerns can weigh heavily on decisions about new battery projects, even as storage is being built to provide on-demand power and support the grid. The falling rate may help residents and local officials compare risks using a record of reported events rather than focusing only on highly visible fires. It does not mean that fires cannot happen or that every project carries the same risk.
EPRI’s comparison with oil-filled substation transformers offers another reference point. The report calculates that grid battery units now fail at a rate comparable to transformers, a long-established form of grid equipment. EPRI lead author Lakshmi Srinivasan said transformers are familiar to operators and the industry, while battery projects face substantial public scrutiny. Better-calibrated risk discussions could help communities weigh safety alongside potential tax revenue, grid reliability and pressure on electricity costs.
home battery energy storage system with built-in fire safety features
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Moss Landing and Public Concern
Battery installations have expanded as storage has become a major choice for adding new on-demand grid power. That growth has coincided with public concern over fires, which can be difficult to extinguish using conventional methods. Moss Landing, one of the early large-scale battery projects, became a prominent example after its January 2025 fire. The evacuation and damage made the incident a reference point in discussions about proposed projects elsewhere.
The EPRI analysis does not erase that history; it puts reported failures alongside the growth of the installed fleet. The source report says safety standards have changed since the first large battery projects were built, while battery systems and site layouts have also become more sophisticated. Those developments may help explain the decline, but the figures presented do not isolate the effect of any one design or rule change.
“There just aren’t a lot of failures, which is a good thing, but that means you don’t have a very robust dataset to analyze.”
— Lakshmi Srinivasan, lead author of the EPRI report
What the Failure Counts Miss
The small number of recorded failures limits what can be concluded from the trend, and the source does not establish how complete incident reporting is. A year with no known failures means none were recorded in this dataset; it cannot prove that no incidents occurred. The figures also do not distinguish a minor event from a fire that damages a facility or harms people.
The analysis identifies a decline alongside rising deployment, but it does not establish which changes caused the drop or predict the risk at a particular proposed site. The source material also does not provide a project-by-project account of equipment, safety measures or local conditions. Communities still need details about individual plans to judge their risks.
How Communities May Use the Findings
The immediate next step is for communities, developers and local officials to consider the historical rate alongside site-specific safety information when reviewing proposed battery installations. The data may provide a wider benchmark for public discussions, but it does not replace assessments of a project’s design, location or emergency planning.
Further incident reporting and a larger dataset could clarify how failure rates change as the installed fleet grows, and whether newer standards and layouts are associated with fewer or less severe events. For now, EPRI’s findings show a steep decline in the reported US annual failure rate through 2025, while leaving the causes and the severity of all recorded incidents unresolved.
Key Questions
How much did the US grid battery failure rate fall?
The analysis says the annual rate fell by more than 97% from 2016 to 2025. The comparison is based on EPRI failure data and installation figures from SEIA and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
Did battery deployments shrink as failures declined?
No. The source reports that cumulative deployments grew 250-fold over the period while the annual failure rate fell. The comparison does not by itself explain what caused the decline.
Does the data mean grid battery fires are no longer a risk?
No. Fires and other failures have occurred, and the dataset is limited. Its event count also does not capture how large or severe each incident was.
What happened at Moss Landing?
A fire at California’s Moss Landing battery facility in January 2025 largely destroyed the power plant and led to a multi-day evacuation of the surrounding community. The source report says no one was injured in that incident.
What does EPRI say the battery failure rate is comparable to?
EPRI calculated that grid battery units fail at a rate comparable to oil-filled transformers used at substations. The comparison concerns failure rates, not the full range of hazards or the consequences of every failure.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
