Connecticut Utilities open second tranche for energy storage capacity

Published on March 20, 2023 by Dave Kovaleski


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The Connecticut Green Bank, Eversource, and United Illuminating (UI) announced the opening of the second Commercial & Industrial (C&I) capacity tranche for energy storage.

The 100-megawatt (MW) tranche will open two years ahead of schedule due to the overwhelming demand for energy storage in Connecticut’s C&I sector. This is part of the Energy Storage Solutions (ESS), approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and launched in 2022 to provide incentives for the installation of battery storage.

To date, ESS has approved 46.4 MW of C&I energy storage with a total energy capacity of 139.4 megawatt hours (MWh). These battery systems will not only provide resilience for host customers but will also pay incentives for a period of 10 years as the batteries send energy to the grid on high-demand days. This results in lower electric rates for all Eversource and UI ratepayers.

“We’re excited to play a role in the state’s efforts to further promote the adoption of battery storage in Connecticut through this partnership, and we look forward to working with PURA and the Connecticut Green Bank to make the program successful,” Eversource Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Electric Mobility Tilak Subrahmanian said. “Advancing clean energy is a priority for us, and the additional capacity available through the Energy Storage Solutions program allows us to accommodate a greater number of battery storage installations for customers across the state.”

This is the second tranche. The first tranche was comprised of 27 projects submitted by six developers representing 20 towns and a variety of host customers, including water treatment plants, manufacturing facilities, public schools, and health clubs.

“Energy storage has a critical role to play in our effort to build a modern, reliable, and resilient grid, and we’re pleased to work with our customer and developer communities to unlock these substantial benefits,” United Illuminating President and CEO Frank Reynolds said. “We look forward to working with PURA, the Connecticut Green Bank, our commercial and industrial partners, small businesses, and critical care facilities to advance this program and help Connecticut build a stronger, cleaner, more resilient energy future.”

The opening of C&I tranche 2 comes as the residential portion of ESS crosses an important milestone — 1 MW of approved capacity.