Apex brings 100 MW / 200 MWh battery storage system online in Texas for ERCOT market

Apex Clean Energy announced it has commissioned its Great Kiskadee Storage facility in Hidalgo County, Texas. This marks the first operational asset from its recently formed joint venture (JV) with South Korean partners SK Gas and SK eternix.

The 100 MW/200 MWh system with two-hour duration features Powin’s Centipede Platform for the BESS with StackOS battery management system, and is co-located with Apex’s 195 MW Angelo Solar Project, announced in May 2023. A separate press release from SK Gas noted the system is equipped with 34 inverters and 340 batteries on site.

Great Kiskadee is owned through the JV called SA Grid Solutions , structured as a 40:60 partnership between Apex and the SK Group companies. The Apex press release said the facility would help stabilize the Texas grid while creating significant local economic benefits, including more than $12.6 million in tax revenue over its lifetime.

Built by Saber Power Services, Great Kiskadee represents the first of multiple storage projects planned under the joint venture established in 2024. A second project of similar scale is already in development, with Apex managing development, construction, operations, and optimization.

The project includes environmental initiatives, with committed funding to restore 200 acres of wetland within the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.

The commissioning adds to ERCOT’s rapidly expanding storage fleet, as the grid operator seeks to integrate growing renewable generation capacity while maintaining system reliability during extreme weather events.

Texas remains the second-largest U.S. storage market after California, though industry analysts have increasing saturation in ancillary services markets that have historically driven investment.

Comment:

Ken Young, CEO of Apex Clean Energy, said: “Great Kiskadee Storage marks a significant milestone in our partnership with SK Gas and SK eternix, demonstrating the strength of our collaboration and shared commitment to advancing energy storage solutions. This facility will play a crucial role in enhancing grid reliability in Texas, absorbing excess electricity during periods of high generation and providing power back to the grid when demand increases.”