Elkhorn Battery project features 256 Tesla Megapack battery units, and is capable of storing and dispatching up to 730MWh of energy to the electrical grid
PG&E commissions 182.5MW Elkhorn Battery project in California, US. (Credit: Willi Heidelbach from Pixabay)
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has commissioned the 182.5MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at its Moss Landing electric substation in Monterey County, California, US.
Also called Elkhorn Battery, the BEES project features 256 Tesla Megapack battery units, and is capable of storing and dispatching up to 730MWh of energy to the electrical grid.
The lithium-ion battery storage project was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2018, and by the Monterey County Planning Commission in 2020.
Earlier this month, California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has certified the project for market participation, following the final testing.
PG&E Corporation chief executive officer Patti Poppe said: “We are ushering in a new era of electric system reliability and delivering a vision into the future for our customers with the commissioning of the Tesla Megapack system in Moss Landing.
“We are committed to safely delivering reliable and clean energy in a way that achieves the greatest value for our customers, but we can’t go it alone into this clean energy future.
“Projects like this require innovative partners, such as Tesla, and PG&E will continue to seek out and work with the best and brightest to provide breakthrough clean energy solutions for our customers.”
PG&E owns and operates the Elkhorn Battery system project. It has designed, constructed, and maintains the battery storage project in partnership with automotive and clean energy company Tesla.
The company said that battery energy storage not only help integrate renewable energy sources, but also enhances the overall reliability of dynamic energy supply in California.
Its Elkhorn Battery will enhance the reliability by addressing capacity shortages due to increased local energy demand.
Furthermore, Elkhorn Battery is one of the largest utility-owned, lithium-ion battery energy storage systems in the world, claimed the company.