Carlsbad Halts Solar Project at Maerkle Reservoir over Safety Concerns
- Media
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
Carlsbad will not move forward with a proposed solar energy project in the city’s eastern portion, citing safety concerns and a desire to avoid negatively affecting nearby communities.
The project would have developed 56 acres of vacant land near Maerkle Reservoir, where Carlsbad, Vista and Oceanside meet. The location was identified in the city’s 5-Year Strategic Plan (2023-2027) as a possible site to generate solar power and store energy in on-site batteries, according to city documents.
Homes immediately surrounding the project area are in Vista and Oceanside.
A preliminary study conducted by an outside consultant identified potential safety concerns at the site, including a fire risk.
In response, the Carlsbad Municipal Water Department requested that staff conduct a feasibility study to understand these challenges better. The study would have been completed in two phases at a total cost of $1.3 million, according to the report.
The City Council unanimously voted on Sept. 30 not to proceed with the study.
Following questions from Councilmember Kevin Shin, a retired fire captain, Carlsbad Fire Chief Michael Calderwood said the Vista Fire Department would likely be the first to respond to the location in the event of a fire, assuming all stations were staffed.
Calderwood called the Vista Fire Department a “very professional, top notch organization” capable of handling emergencies and said he had discussed the project with its fire chief.
However, despite mutual aid agreements allowing departments to respond to each other’s jurisdictions, Calderwood said assigning primary response to Vista “went beyond the original tenants and the agreements.”
“My professional opinion as your fire chief is that this is a lot to ask of another agency — to come in knowing that they would be the first, second in and ultimately responsible for this large scale of an incident,” Calderwood said.
Calderwood added that lithium-ion batteries can reach extreme temperatures, leading to “thermal runaway,” where water and other traditional firefighting methods are ineffective.
Calderwood said firefighters “really have to wait for them to burn out,” which can take days.
Those risks remain despite technological advances, according to Calderwood.
Several members of the public echoed those concerns about fire safety. During public comment, residents of Oceanside and Vista expressed concerns that the project could lower home values and expose them to long-term electromagnetic field exposure.
Many opponents said that they still supported Carlsbad’s broader environmental goals, specifically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Supporters, meanwhile, said the project would produce clean energy on public land and stabilize energy costs. They argued that fears about battery technology were outdated.
Lane Sharman, co-founder and chair of the San Diego Energy District, compared the evolution of energy storage to aviation, saying safety improvements over time allow society to reap its benefits. Sharman said that no peer-reviewed study has shown EMF levels to be higher at solar farms than inside homes.
Councilmember Melanie Burkholder said spending nearly $1.3 million on a feasibility study would be “a waste of taxpayer money” given the information already available.
Keri Martinez, an engineer with the city’s Utilities Department, agreed the funds could “absolutely” be used elsewhere because “we have lots of needs for our system.”
“If we were reallocated those funds, we certainly could find use in our water facilities for those,” Martinez said.
Mayor Keith Blackburn said that while he supports Carlsbad’s environmental goals, the public safety risks at the Maerkle Reservoir site were too great. Blackburn said he preferred to use those funds “on something we can actually see and touch rather than just studies.”
By Cameron Adams | October 6, 2025 | The Coast News Group
Well look at that! That could be the virtual final nail in the coffin for Sweetwater Authority's plan to put solar panels on our Sweetwater Reservoir. What about OUR community safety?