South Orange County Community College District trustees have asked staffers to see how they can reject a $750,000 grant from Engie North America, which wants to build a 250-megawatt battery storage site on 13 acres in northern San Juan Capistrano, near Camino Capistrano and the 5 Freeway.

The SOCCCD board voted in April to accept the grant, and the agreement with Compass Energy Storage, LLC., a subsidiary of Engie, was finalized on May 2. But community members and lawmakers from nearby cities who oppose the storage site have lobbied the college board to reconsider the offer.

“Mistakes have been made that now need to get fixed,” Trustee Lisa Bartlett said during Monday’s meeting, where the board voted 7-0 to direct staff to draft findings justifying the termination of the grant agreement.

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