SRP installs largest stand-alone battery in Arizona so far
Salt River Project announced Thursday that the largest stand-alone battery system in Arizona is now operating in Peoria.
The new rechargeable battery has the ability to power around 5,600 households in Arizona, according to SRP.
The Bolster Substation Battery System can discharge 25 megawatts of energy over a 4-hour period. The batteries can recharge overnight and release electricity during peak hours.
SRP committed to add 2,025 megawatts of utility-scale solar energy by the year 2025 and cut their carbon emissions by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050.
The announcement of the battery storage system comes the same week the SRP board of directors decided to move forward with an expansion of a gas-burning power plant in Coolidge that could cost as much as $953 million.
Kelly Barr, SRP Associate General Manager, described the expansion act as a “reliability backbone” supporting their efforts to add more renewable energy.
The battery system “further allows us to offset carbon-emitting resources by storing energy and providing it to our customers when they need it most,” Barr said.
In addition to the new battery system, SRP recently contracted for two renewable energy projects, the Sonoran Energy Center and Storey Energy Center, which are expected to launch in June 2023.
SRP officials defended the investment in the Coolidge Generating Station, saying it would help the utility implement renewable energy resources into the power grid faster than without the expansion.
“Added natural gas turbines will provide SRP customers quick-start, dependable energy that is available when renewable resources have fluctuations in output or are not producing power, and when battery systems are charging,” SRP said.
