The Scornicești battery energy storage system (BESS) of 127 MW and 254 MWh, located in southern Romania, is on track to come online within months. The facility is part of R.Power’s 1.6 GW / 5.8 GWh portfolio in Europe. Parapet, the contractor, launched construction in the spring.
Poland-based independent power producer R.Power is nearing completion of its first utility-scale BESS project in Romania. At 127 MW in capability and 254 MWh of storage, the facility in Scornicești, Olt county, would be among the largest in Central and Eastern Europe.
The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, Parapet, is working with the company’s in-house EPC team. Construction started in the spring. All 46 battery units and 23 containerized medium-voltage transformer stations have been deployed, R.Power revealed.
Extensive design works for the Scornicești BESS
Connecting Scornicești to the high-voltage national transmission grid, operated by Transelectrica, is a major undertaking that goes well beyond a standard project, according to the update. R.Power cited extensive design works and added that its asset is set to come online by early next year.
EBRD provided the financing, together with Polish BGK’s guarantee
The company secured a EUR 46 million financing package for the project in June. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) provided EUR 44 million in investment and bridge financing, while Polish development bank Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) issued a EUR 2.3 million bank guarantee to secure the long-term optimization contract in place with GEN-I.
Eiffel Investment Group is co-owner
R.Power co-owns the facility in southern Romania through a joint venture with Eiffel Investment Group, headquartered in France.
“Having contracted our first Romanian PV assets just two years ago, we are proud to now be playing this vital role in one of Europe’s fastest growth energy transition markets,” said the company’s Head for Romania Florin Federenciuc.
R.Power’s BESS portfolio in operations and under construction in CEE amounts to 0.9 GW and 3 GWh, with an additional 0.7 GW and 2.8 GWh of commercialized, ready-to-build projects.
With over 13 GW of grid-secured, utility-scale BESS and renewable projects spanning major markets including Poland, Romania, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, R.Power has one of the largest renewable portfolios in Europe.
R.Power’s said its long-term equity investment partners include the EBRD and Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund (3SIIF), advised by Amber Infrastructure.