Romanian state-owned power generation company Hidroelectrica has selected local technology providers Prime Batteries Technology and Enevo to deploy a significant large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its 108MW Crucea Nord Wind Farm. The announcement follows the completion of a tender process for the 36MW/72MWh project, marking Hidroelectrica’s entry into lithium-ion BESS technology.
The deployment of this BESS, Hidroelectrica’s first of its kind, aims to mitigate internal imbalances within the company’s wind power portfolio, provide crucial system balancing services to the grid, and reduce operational wear on the wind farm itself. Industry reports have indicated that the Crucea Nord Wind Farm has faced financial challenges due to unfavorable balancing requirements.
The contract, valued at 79.8 million RON (€16 million/US$18.2 million) excluding VAT, has been awarded to a consortium of Prime Batteries Technology, a Romania-headquartered battery technology firm, and Enevo Group, an engineering and consulting company. The project is slated for completion within 12 months of the contract signing. The BESS will have a nominal power capacity of 36MW and a nominal energy storage capacity of 72MWh.
Prime Batteries Technology previously supplied the BESS for a 6MW/24MWh project for independent power producer (IPP) Monsson, which was commissioned in April of the previous year. Monsson has indicated that Prime Batteries locally manufactures battery cells for integration into their BESS solutions.
Romania, like many other European Union member states, is utilizing EU funds to stimulate its energy storage sector, addressing increasing balancing costs associated with the integration of more renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Several large-scale BESS projects are currently underway in Romania, highlighting the country’s commitment to grid stability and energy transition.
This strategic investment by Hidroelectrica underscores the growing importance of energy storage in optimizing the performance and economic viability of renewable energy assets and strengthening grid resilience.
