DESRI and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) have signed a long-term power purchase agreement for a 160MW/640MWh battery energy storage project in California.
The Dry Creek Energy Storage project will be located at the site of the decommissioned Rancho Seco power station in Sacramento County.
DESRI chief development officer Hy Martin said the facility would “play a critical role in helping SMUD to maintain and enhance grid reliability, optimise performance of their renewable energy assets and contribute to their decarbonisation goals”.
SMUD said the project supports its 2030 zero-carbon power target and will use existing transmission infrastructure at Rancho Seco to avoid costly upgrades.
“This battery storage project represents another significant milestone in SMUD’s Zero Carbon Plan,” said Lora Anguay, SMUD’s chief zero carbon officer.
“By enhancing our existing renewable infrastructure at Rancho Seco with battery technology, we’re building a more flexible and reliable grid while enabling a more efficient integration of renewable energy.”
DESRI’s clean power portfolio comprises over 9GW of solar and wind capacity in operation, contracted or under construction across the US.