Neoen unveils plan to add biggest battery yet to France’s nuclear-powered grid

French renewable energy giant Neoen will build France’s largest battery storage project, a nearly 500 megawatt-hour (MWh) facility which will support France’s most populous region surrounding Paris.

The 248 megawatt (MW)/496 MWh Vernou-la-Celle-sur-Seine battery will be located 90 kilometres southeast of Paris near an existing substation, and will be the first battery to be connected to network company RTE’s 400 kV high-voltage transmission network.

Set to begin construction in the coming months and to begin operation some time in 2028, the battery packs will be supplied by Japanese manufacturer Nidec from its new French production facility in La Fouillouse, near Saint-Étienne.

Once operational, the new battery will provide frequency and voltage regulation services to the French electricity grid, helping to relieve congestion in the electricity network of the Île-de-France area surrounding Paris as well as enable a higher penetration of renewable energy.

“After several years of development and engagement with residents and local organisations, we are proud to see this exceptional project come to life,” said Guillaume Decaen, CEO of Neoen France.

“This battery will contribute significantly to the protection and stability of the Île-de-France network and will enable Neoen to offer innovative solutions to its customers.

“Ten years after delivering France’s largest solar farm at Cestas, Neoen is demonstrating that renewable energy generation and large-scale storage are taking their place in the energy mix of our country.”

Neoen is also developing two big batteries in Ontario, another grid where nuclear has a majority share of local generation, and has landed a contract for one 400 MW, 1,600 MWh battery.

And Neoen has, of course, led the way on battery storage in Australia, building the world’s first large scale facility at Hornsdale in South Australia, and most recently completing the 560 MW, 2,240 MWh Collie battery in Western Australia, which was for a short while the biggest operating battery in the country and remains the most powerful.

Neoen has set up a local committee to foster community engagement around the French project and will be conducting additional studies prior to the start of construction so as to ensure the project is fully integrated into its environment.

Neoen will also fund local projects related to sustainable development such as energy efficiency upgrades for public buildings and provide direct economic benefits to local residents.

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