Centrica buys Belgian grid-scale battery first commissioned in 2018

Several years after it was commissioned, the Terhills battery park on the Dutch-Belgian border has been acquired by Centrica.

The UK-based energy company has been involved in the Terhills project for the past six years. It worked with the park’s former owners, European venture capital firm LRM, to optimize the batteries for maximum flexibility, operating a virtual power plant comprising an 18 MW Tesla battery alongside flexible load and generation from industrial customers.

“We have deep knowledge of the Belgian market, with our amazing Antwerp based team delivering demand side response, grid optimization and research activities, so we feel very confident investing in battery storage here,” said Chris O’Shea, Group CEO at Centrica.

“We’ll continue to maximize the output of the batteries, helping to provide back-up to the renewables grid and encouraging the growth of solar and wind power in Belgium,” he added.

LRM’s CEO Tom Vanham said offloading the Terhills park would enable the company to focus on other projects.

“We’re delighted to hand the keys across to Centrica to continue the great job they’ve done in optimizing the Terhills battery project. The sale allows us to continue our mission of supporting projects that contribute to the prosperity and well-being of the regions of Limburg and Flanders.”

Centrica’s Belgian acquisition announcement is the latest in a series of deals it has made as part of a bid to expand its business across Europe. Its Irish subsidiary Bord Gais Energy Group recently acquired Irish solar PV installer Swyft Energy.