Potomac Edison awarded Maryland PSC approval for two battery energy storage projects
The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) approved this week two battery storage projects proposed by Potomac Edison.
A response to the Maryland Energy Storage Pilot Program, the projects would consist of one 1.75 MW battery project in Allegany County and a second 500 kW battery at the Maryland Department of Transportation Park and Ride Lot in Frederick County. The latter will bundle battery energy storage with a $1.1 million electric vehicle charging system.
Both projects are expected to be complete in 2022.
“These two projects will allow us to evaluate the potential benefits of energy storage for our residential customers and to learn more about the interaction between energy storage systems and electric vehicle charging stations, which will help inform future grid development efforts,” James Sears, Jr., president of FirstEnergy’s Maryland operations, said.
The Allegany County project will offer backup power for the more than 1,000 customers in the area to be tapped during outages. It will be built in conjunction with Convergent Energy + Power. As to the battery and EV charging system in Frederick County, the former will allow for reduced load drawn from the grid during peak demand times and, more generally, allow for charging services that cannot be interrupted. Both projects are meant to help transform electric distribution systems in the region.
In theory, the lot-based battery should provide up to 1,000 kWh of energy or around eight hours without interruption.
