LS Power brings online 230-MW battery system in San Diego

US power and energy infrastructure owner LS Power has put on stream what it says is the largest grid battery in the world, with a capacity that will reach 250 MW by end-August.

The so-called Gateway Energy Storage facility is located in San Diego County, California, and currently can charge or discharge 230 MW for one hour, LS Power said on Wednesday. The company’s plan is to lift that capacity to 250 MW by the end of this month.

“By charging during solar production or off-peak hours and delivering energy to the grid during times of peak demand for power, our battery storage projects improve electric reliability, reduce costs and help our state meet its climate objectives," said John King, LS Power’s head of Renewables.

In California, LS Power also operates the 40-MW Vista Energy Storage system and has more projects in development or construction in the state. Among them are the 200-MW Diablo in Pittsburg and the 125-MW LeConte in Calexico.

Since its establishment in 1990, the LS Power has developed, built, managed or acquired over 42 GW of power production facilities, including utility-scale solar and wind farms.

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