NIPOMO, CALIFORNIA - Alpha Omega Power (AOP), the developer, owner, and operator of the Caballero Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), announced that the facility became fully operational on April 1, 2025, after successfully completing a comprehensive testing and permitting process with full approval from local, state, and federal agencies.
Caballero BESS is the first facility of its kind in San Luis Obispo County, providing 400 MWh of battery storage from clean solar energy with the capacity to supply electricity to 100,000 homes for up to four hours during periods of peak demand on California’s energy grid.
To mark the facility’s launch, AOP hosted a community open house on June 3rd at the Nipomo Library and a media tour of the Caballero BESS site on June 4th. Executives from AOP, Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG), San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding, and Captain Ryan Grebe, Cal Fire Public Information Officer for San Luis Obispo, answered questions from members of the local press in a briefing followed by a robust question and answer session.
Under high supervision from all local and state authorities, Caballero BESS underwent rigorous testing and training with Cal Fire, San Luis Obispo City, and County Fire during the construction and testing phases. The project meets or exceeds all local, state, and federal safety requirements, including California Fire Codes and the latest National Fire Protection Association (“NFPA”) 855 standards for energy storage.
Media attendees were invited to view the details of the battery system, each one equipped with sensors monitored 24/7. Fire Risk Alliance served as the Fire Protection Engineer of Record while ESRG provided industry-leading training and an emergency response plan to local fire services. Additionally, ESRG shall provide 24/7 Subject Matter Expert (SME) services for the site in addition to annual inspection and refresher training in one of the first of its kind contracts in the industry.
“Energy Safety Response Group is proud to work with Alpha Omega Power and applauds their forward-thinking and planning in the event of the unthinkable. While energy storage safety incidents are exceedingly rare, having experts at-the-ready to support fire service operations, stabilize an incident, and quickly remediate the site puts Caballero at the cutting edge of best practices and ensures we will promptly, efficiently, and safely manage any event,” said Nick Warner, Founder, Energy Safety Response Group.
“AOP is committed to the safety of the community and worked in tandem with local and state fire agencies throughout the Caballero BESS construction phase. We are now active members of the community, and we will continue that commitment to safety by supporting ongoing fire department training sessions at the site,” said Guillaume Dufay, Chief Technology Officer at Alpha Omega Power.
As a new business located in Nipomo, AOP is donating $7,500 to two local organizations on behalf of the Caballero BESS facility. The first donation provides $5,000 in scholarships to students at Central Coast New Tech High School. The Alpha Omega Stem Impact Scholarship will award two $2,500 scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing college degrees in engineering, environmental science, energy policy, or related STEM fields.
The San Luis Obispo County 5 Cities Homeless Coalition will receive $2,500 to provide housing, case management, and support services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
