German utility EnBW has approved a 400 MW/800 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Philippsburg Energy Park, the company said on Thursday, marking one of the largest such projects in the country.
The facility will be developed without government subsidies and is located at a site that also houses two nuclear units undergoing dismantling, along with a direct-current converter developed by TransnetBW for the ULTRANET transmission link, EnBW said.
“This investment decision is a key step in making our energy system more flexible,” said Peter Heydecker, EnBW chief operating officer for sustainable generation infrastructure. He added that battery storage systems are essential for balancing fluctuating wind and solar generation with demand and complement hydrogen-ready gas-fired plants.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early summer 2026, with commercial operation expected by the end of 2027. EnBW said the project will provide enough electricity to power roughly 100,000 homes and will be financed through revenues from electricity sales and grid services.
