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Austria-based Enery has commissioned the Nova Zagora BESS. It is the largest battery energy storage system in Central and Eastern Europe, the company claimed.
With a total capacity of 601.8 MWh and a capability of 150 MW, Nova Zagora BESS marked a milestone for Bulgaria’s energy transition. The standalone battery system in Sliven province in the central part of the country consists of 120 containers. Energy, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, revealed that the facility came online in March.
It is the largest BESS in Central and Eastern Europe, according to the update. The battery system will provide critical grid stability and enable the integration of renewable energy sources, the company noted and said it is a vital step for flexibility.
“Delivering the Nova Zagora BESS requires precise coordination of multiple construction and electrical work streams. Seeing these components come together into a fully functioning facility that supports grid stability is extremely rewarding,” said Site Manager and Head of Monitoring Control Room Dimcho Dimov.
Enery has VPPA with Vitol for Nova Zagora BESS
Enery secured a green financing package from DSK Bank for sustainable energy infrastructure. The other component is a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) that it signed with international energy company Vitol.
This commercial structure provides planning certainty and underlines the project’s strategic importance for the European energy market. Beyond technical innovation, the project utilized local expertise, involving numerous regional companies and skilled workers during construction.
“From an operations and maintenance perspective, large-scale battery storage adds a new dimension to how we manage energy assets. Integrating advanced technologies such as BESS will play a key role in ensuring reliable, efficient and future-ready energy infrastructure,” said Head of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) at Enery Bulgaria Stoyan Petrov.
Facility is connected to 110 kV grid
The four-hour storage system is connected to an adjacent 33/110 kV substation via a 150 MVA unit of 30 transformer stations.
“Nova Zagora BESS is an exciting project because it represents the future of energy systems. Being part of a project that combines technical complexity, innovation and real impact on the energy sector makes the work highly motivating,” Project Manager Valentin Valkov stated.
In neighboring Romania, Enery Development is building the Ogrezeni hybrid power plant. At 761 MW of solar power in peak capacity terms and a BESS of 534 MW, with more than 1 GWh of storage, it would currently be the biggest of its kind in Europe.
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