Engie commissions 116 MW/660 MWh battery at coal plant in Chile

Engie Chile has inaugurated the Tocopilla Energy Complex in Chile’s Antofagasta region, redeveloping a site that operated for more than a century as a coal- and fuel oil-fired power station.

The complex combines the 116 MW/660 MWh BESS Tocopilla battery system with flexible natural gas generation infrastructure and a synchronous condenser designed to provide stability services to Chile’s National Electric System (SEN). Engie said the conversion required an investment of about $270 million.

BESS Tocopilla comprises 240 lithium-ion battery containers, 30 power conversion systems (PCS), and a 130 MVA transformer connected directly to the transmission network. The project entered commercial operation on Feb. 19 after completing commissioning and regulatory validation.

The battery system stores electricity during periods of lower demand or high renewable generation and discharges it during peak demand or when other generation sources are less available. Engie estimates it will supply an average of 211 GWh of electricity to the grid annually, equivalent to the consumption of about 89,900 Chilean households.

The site is the former Tocopilla thermal complex, where the final coal-fired unit was disconnected in September 2022. Engie announced plans in April 2024 to build the battery project at the location, with construction originally scheduled to begin in June of that year.

The redeveloped complex also includes a synchronous condenser created through the conversion of the site’s former Unit 15. According to Engie, the equipment provides ancillary services including voltage control, inertia, and operational support to help maintain grid stability as variable renewable energy penetration increases.

From pv magazine LatAm