Swiss energy company Alpiq has inaugurated its first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Valkeakoski, Finland, marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion of flexible power assets across Europe, it said on Thursday.
The 30-megawatt (MW), 36-megawatt-hour (MWh) project began operations on 13 October and is the first battery system in the Nordic region to comply with national grid operator Fingrid’s grid-forming requirements, Alpiq said in a statement.
The company said the facility will enhance grid flexibility and help integrate renewable energy sources, describing the project as an important step toward strengthening security of supply in Finland.
“Our investment in BESS is a clear commitment to security of supply and a better climate,” said Lukas Gresnigt, Alpiq’s head of international and a member of its executive board. “Our first operational BESS is a major step for Alpiq in line with our strategic focus on flexibility.”
The system, delivered by Finnish technology company Merus Power as a turnkey solution, can respond to frequency fluctuations within milliseconds, providing system services and enabling short-term electricity trading, Alpiq said.
Merus Power chief executive Kari Tuomala said the collaboration reflects the company’s capability to meet evolving energy system needs. “This achievement demonstrates our ability to respond to the new demands of the energy transition swiftly and reliably,” he said.
Alpiq said it is developing additional battery projects in Europe, including a 125MW/250MWh facility in Haapajärvi, Finland, expected to be operational by mid-2027, and a 100MW/200MWh system in France scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027. Further BESS developments are planned in Switzerland, Germany, the UK and across the Nordic region.
