Norwegian energy company's biggest U.S. battery project is online in Texas
Equinor, through its subsidiary East Point Energy, has launched its largest U.S. battery storage project, the 100-megawatt Citrus Flatts Energy Center, near Harlingen, Texas. This facility aims to stabilize the Texas grid, which is facing surging energy demand from various sectors, including the rapidly growing data center industry. The project comes amidst a call from Gov. Greg Abbott for a statewide pause on data center approvals as regulatory agencies audit proposals.
Equinor, a Norwegian energy company, has brought online its largest U.S. battery storage project, the 100-megawatt Citrus Flatts Energy Center, located near Harlingen in South Texas. Developed by its subsidiary East Point Energy, the facility can store enough electricity to power approximately 25,000 Texas homes for two hours and is designed to provide flexible and reliable energy solutions to the Texas grid, which is experiencing rapid growth in solar and wind generation. This is East Point Energy's second such project in Texas, following the 10-megawatt Sunset Ridge facility in Frio County.
The project participates in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) wholesale energy market, aiming to profit from short-term price fluctuations and address the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. According to Christian Lie Hansen, Equinor vice president of onshore renewables in the Americas, these facilities are crucial for strengthening the electrical grid and stabilizing energy costs as demand surges.
The article notes that Texas has surpassed Virginia as the fastest-growing data center market in the U.S. and is projected to become the world's largest by 2030. This expansion, however, faces increasing scrutiny, with Gov. Greg Abbott advocating for a statewide pause on data center approvals while regulatory agencies review proposals. Equinor indicated that Texas and the mid-Atlantic are attractive markets due to their scalability and commercial opportunities, though it did not directly confirm whether the data center landscape was a specific factor in their project locations.