Hidroelectrica installs battery storage facility at its Crucea Nord wind park

Hidroelectrica’s battery energy storage system (BESS) of 36 MW and 72 MWh, co-located with its Crucea Nord wind park in Romania’s southeast, is on track to come online more than a year earlier than initially planned.

The future energy hub around the village of Crucea in Romania’s Dobruja (Dobrogea) region will soon get its first hybrid power plant. Hidroelectrica, the country’s biggest electricity producer, said the BESS project at its only wind park, Crucea Nord, is 80% finished.

It means the battery storage facility is set to enter operation already in May, the state-owned hydropower plant operator said. It earlier planned to launch production in the summer of 2027.

The BESS will have 36 MW in operating power and a two-hour duration. It translates to 72 MWh in capacity. The system is co-located with a 108 MW wind park, built in 2014. Crucea Nord has been making significant losses due to unfavorable balancing obligations.

The contractors are Romania-based Prime Batteries Technology and Enevo Group

All nine units, supplied by domestic battery manufacturer Prime Batteries Technology (PBT), have been installed by December 30, Hidroelectrica revealed. The other contractor in the consortium is Enevo Group. After first setting up a small battery, the utility selected them in April through a tender.

Prime Batteries manufactures lithium-ion batteries and provides energy storage solutions for the automotive, smart grids, and industrial sectors. The startup is headquartered in Cernica near Bucharest. The other company is Romanian as well.

The deal is worth RON 79.8 million (EUR 15.7 million) excluding value-added tax.

Hidroelectrica operates 188 hydropower plants totaling 6.4 GW in capacity. According to Romania’s transmission system operator Transelectrica, the country hosts BESS facilities with an overall capability of 494 MW and a storage capacity of 913 MWh.