Energy cells starts the implementation of an electricity storage facilities system


06-12-2021
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On Monday, Energy cells, the operator of the storage facilities that will provide Lithuania with an instantaneous electricity reserve, together with the Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys, the representatives of the European Commission Representation in Lithuania, EPSO-G, and Fluence and Siemens Energy announced the symbolic start of the project works. The company will start installing a portfolio of energy storage facilities of 200 megawatts (MW) and 200 megawatt-hours (MWh) capacity in total in Vilnius, Šiauliai, Alytus, and Utena and will start to provide services ensuring the instantaneous isolated mode electricity reserve operation in December of next year.

“The project will help us meet one of the most important challenges before synchronisation - the capacity to work in isolated mode. The facilities under construction will help ensure the stability and reliability of our electricity system in the event of disturbances. In the event of a power outage across Lithuania, these batteries will immediately start supplying power and restore the energy supply,” said Minister Kreivys.

The establishment of the special-purpose company Energy cells in January this year has led to the preparatory works for the project and guaranteed funding: the European Commission has approved up to EUR 100 million in support for the storage facilities measure under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. This is the first project of this scale in Lithuania to be approved for funding under the EU’s Economic Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the first to be launched under this facility.

“This project is significant for Lithuania and all the Baltic States. It will strengthen the resilience of Lithuania’s energy system. At the same time, this European-scale project is one of the key components in synchronising the Baltic States’ energy grids with continental Europe. This will not only improve connectivity but also bring innovation to Europe’s energy system,” said Laimutė Pilukaitė, Head of the Policy Analysis and Review Team at the European Commission Representation in Lithuania.

“The energy storage  system is another project of our Group to improve the safety and reliability of the system. Just as the physical barrier will contribute to the protection against hybrid attacks on the border with Belarus, the Energy cells’ instantaneous electricity reserve service will help protect against energy threats and allow us to smoothly implement our ongoing synchronisation projects. I am proud of the personnel of our Group’s companies who understand the importance of the projects and contribute to their implementation to the best of their abilities,” said Rolandas Zukas, CEO of EPSO-G.

The 200 MW and 200 MWh energy storage facilities will be designed, manufactured and connected to the electricity transmission system by Fluence and Siemens Energy. Companies implementing the project on a consortium basis won an international procurement tender launched by Energy cells for the supply and installation of advanced energy storage systems, and have signed a EUR 109 million contract to provide after-sales service and maintenance for 15 years after the system is launched.

“The project consists of four 50 MW energy storage systems, which will all use Fluence’s latest and most advanced 6th Generation technology. Fluence is delighted to support Energy cells and ESPO-G in becoming a global leader in innovating the way transmission networks operate,” said Brian Perusse, the VP of Sales & Market Development for the EMEA region at Fluence.

“We have assembled the strongest specialists in this field, we have a leading partner Siemens Energy and Fluence Consortium, and we are focused and ready to start the implementation so that Lithuania will have an instantaneous electricity reserve in December next year,” said Rimvydas Štilinis, the CEO of Energy cells.

 

Key stages of the project

January 2021

Energy cells, a special-purpose wholly-owned subsidiary of EPSO-G Group, was established.

January 2021

An international tender was launched for the design, manufacture, and installation of the energy storage facilities system, as well as for technical support services for the works of the Lithuanian electricity system.

July 2021

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania appointed Energy cells as the operator of the storage facilities that will provide Lithuania with an instantaneous electricity rserve.

October 2021

Energy cells signed a contract with the procurement winner Siemens Energy and Fluence Consortium.

The European Commission has approved up to EUR 100 million in support for the storage facilities measure under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility

November 2021

Start of energy storage facilities system design works

June 2022

Start of construction works of the facilities system

Q3 2022

Start of system testing works.

December 2022

Energy cells is planning to start providing services ensuring instantaneous isolated operation reserve for the electricity system.

Last updated: 29-12-2021