Ørsted has reached commercial operations of the 500-MWh Old 300 Storage project in Needville, Texas.

“Battery energy storage has played a large role in providing much needed power to ERCOT in times of tight supply and demand margins,” said Melissa Peterson, President of Ørsted Americas Onshore. “Achieving commercial operations at our Old 300 Storage project will have tangible benefits, such as strengthening grid reliability by providing additional resources to Texas grid operators and allowing for more diverse and localized energy options as electricity demand continues to grow.”

The 250-MW battery energy storage system is co-located with the 430-MW solar project, Old 300 Solar. Old 300 Storage is operated independently from Old 300 Solar and is intended to improve grid stability by providing power when it is needed most. Old 300 Solar has been supplying power to roughly 80,000 homes and businesses in Texas since 2024. Projects like this pair generation with storage so electricity produced during sunnier periods can be made available to grid operators when conditions require it, a structure that has become increasingly common in Texas as ERCOT continues to add resources to support the state’s growing electricity needs.

Together, the solar and storage project will contribute approximately $110 million in property tax revenue to support local infrastructure, schools and emergency services.

Ørsted procured the battery energy storage system for the project from Tesla. The Megapacks were manufactured in Lathrop, California. Ørsted and Tesla also worked with the Needville Fire Department to provide education on the latest product technology and safety response protocols. The project’s commercial operation also adds another utility-scale storage asset to the ERCOT grid, where batteries have been used to help balance supply and demand during tight operating conditions.

News item from Ørsted