Rhode Island energy leaders and officials celebrated the opening of the state’s first utility-scale battery storage facility this week.
The Pascoag Utility District has completed and put into operation the 3-MW battery project. Agilitas Energy installed and manages the energy storage capacity from a leased industrial site in Pascoag.
The battery site helps the PUD lower its peak load during high demand periods.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and the state’s Office of Energy Resources joined PUD and local officials in announcing the official opening of the system. It actually began operating in July.
“I am proud to announce that Rhode Island continues its leadership on clean energy innovation by installing the state’s first utility-scale battery storage system,” said Governor McKee. “This battery technology, which allows for the storage of energy and deploys it when it is most needed, is a vital link in our state’s transition to a 100 percent clean electricity grid by 2033. Pascoag is setting a great example for others to follow.”
The battery storage capacity will provide resiliency for the PUD’s 5,000 customers and help smooth out the intermittencies of renewable energy projects.
PUD received a grant of $250,000 from OER. The PUD substation work was funded by an $1.4 million loan from the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank approved by OER through the state’s Efficient Building Fund program. By installing the battery system, PUD was able to avoid paying up to $12 million in grid infrastructure upgrades.
“The collaboration of our partners on this project was amazing,” said Mike Kirkwood, General Manager of Pascoag Utility District. “We could not have done this without the leadership of the Governor, and the help from the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and Agilitas Energy. “
