Power utility Duke Energy Carolinas is building a 5MW lithium-ion energy storage system at a center that serves as a shelter during emergencies such as hurricane evacuation.
The project at Anderson Civic Center in Anderson County, South Carolina, US, is part of the company’s ongoing plans to invest $500 million in a total of 300MW of battery storage projects across the state in the next 15 years.
The system will be grid-tied and available for use by Duke Energy Carolinas power operators, delivering services including grid stability during peak demand.
The battery will be able to power the Civic Center in the event of an outage for at least 30 hours based on the facility’s normal usage, say Duke.
The investment, announced this time last year, aims to transform the state’s energy infrastructure to support the two-way flow of electricity and improve the county’s security of supply.
Once the final engineering study for connection to the power grid is complete later this year, the project will go through a competitive bidding process for construction and is expected to be in service in early 2021.
In May, regulators approved Duke’s plans to build a microgrid in Madison County, North Carolina. The Hot Springs microgrid will consist of 2MW (AC) of solar and 4MW lithium-based battery storage. The system will deliver services such as frequency and voltage regulation and ramping support and capacity during system peaks.
