California Approves Battery Installation to Provide Black Start Service at Gas-Powered Plant

The California Energy Commission on Feb. 20 approved the installation of a battery storage system to the Russell City Energy Center, a 600-megawatt natural-gas fired power plant, to provide black start capability.

• The project consists of installing 6 to 10 megawatts of lithium-ion batteries, which would be used to start the gas turbines, in order to restart the power plant in the event of a blackout.
• The application shows that battery storage, long associated with advancing renewable integration into the power grid, also is finding traction in supporting fossil fuel generating capacity.
• Russell City Energy Center is 75 percent owned by Calpine Corporation and the remainder by GE Energy Financial Services.

U.S. Energy Department Invests $11.5 Million in Carbon Capture and Storage Projects
July 15, 2020

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Mounting Legal Challenges Deal Blow to Major Oil, Gas Infrastructure Projects
July 14, 2020

EnerKnol Grid Modernization Tracking Table Q2 2020
July 13, 2020

NYSERDA Announces Strategic Partnership to Mitigate COVID Spread While Advancing Climate Goals
July 13, 2020

EnerKnol Distributed Energy Resources Tracking Table Q2 2020
July 13, 2020

Michigan Regulator Approves DTE Electric’s Revised Renewable Energy Plan
July 13, 2020

Florida Regulator Approves Utilities’ Energy Conservation Programs
July 13, 2020

Maryland Regulator to Probe COVID-19 Impacts on Utilities, Consumers
July 13, 2020