A Virginia-based energy company is seeking state approval to build a large-scale battery energy storage facility on Monterey Road directly across from the Charter School of Morgan Hill, a proposal that has drawn fierce opposition from parents, school officials and community members who say the site poses unacceptable safety risks to students.
AES Corporation recently announced plans for its “Jewelflower” project, a 350-megawatt lithium-ion battery energy storage system that would house 250 battery containers, together storing enough electricity to power about 262,500 homes for up to four hours.
AES said it plans to submit a permit application to the California Energy Commission in the first quarter of this year through the agency’s Opt-In Certification Program, with construction targeted for 2028 and the facility coming online in 2029.
“AES has developed a preliminary site plan for a battery energy storage system in San Jose that will provide the flexibility critical to deliver reliable and affordable power to the region,” the company said in a statement.
AES cited a California Independent System Operator study identifying a projected 1,409-megawatt generation deficiency in the San Jose area by 2030.
“Battery energy storage projects like Jewelflower can help fill the gap in energy production needed to meet future demand as natural gas-fired power plants retire and new data centers come online,” the company wrote.
But the proposal has ignited strong resistance from the surrounding community. A Change.org petition opposing the project has gathered more than 2,200 signatures at the time of writing, and Charter School of Morgan Hill principal Susan Pfefferlen said she was alarmed by the facility’s proximity to her campus.
“The proposed AES battery energy storage facility would be placed directly across from our school in a high fire and flood risk area, and this raises serious safety and environmental concerns,” Pfefferlen said. “We don’t believe a project like this should be located so close to a school with limited evacuation routes.”
A central concern among opponents is that CSMH has a single point of access on Monterey Road, severely limiting evacuation options in the worst-case scenario of a major battery fire. The project would also likely require one lane of Monterey Road to be closed during the construction period, worsening what parents describe as an already strained commute.
Opponents have also pointed to past battery incidents, especially the battery fire at the Moss Landing Vistra power plant in January 2025, as well as fire incidents at AES facilities in Arizona and Southern California.
The San José Fire Department said in a statement that any proposed battery storage installation must meet rigorous testing standards, including demonstrating that a fire within a single battery unit will not spread to adjacent units, and that ventilation is sufficient to prevent explosive gas buildup.
SJFD spokesperson Jake Pisani noted that the most modern large-scale fire testing requirements were implemented in 2022, after the batteries at the Moss Landing facilities were installed.
Some community members have objected to AES’s use of the state-level Opt-In Certification Program, which allows the CEC to serve as the lead permitting agency in lieu of local authorities, bypassing processes that would traditionally allow residents to weigh in with their feedback and concerns.
Once the company has submitted a complete application to the CEC, the commission will hold a public information meeting “as close as practicable to the proposed project site,” according to the agency’s policies. The public will have additional opportunities for comment during the circulation of the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report. Any public meetings must be announced at least 10 days in advance.
“Our goal is to be a good neighbor and deliver responsible clean energy solutions that create long-term environmental and community benefits,” AES wrote.
The petition opposing the project can be found at change.org/protectmorganhill. For more information on the Jewelflower project or to submit stakeholder feedback, visit aes.com/jewelflower or email ca********************@*es.com.
