Eon subsidiaries plan large storage facility at former nuclear power site

Source: E & M powernews

The Eon companies Bayernwerk Natur and Preussen Elektra are building a large battery storage facility at the former Isar nuclear power plant. The grid infrastructure is already in place.

Bayernwerk Natur GmbH and Preussen Elektra GmbH are planning a large battery storage facility at the site of the former Isar nuclear power plant near Landshut (Bavaria). The location is a good fit because the required grid infrastructure is already in place, according to the distribution grid operator Bayernwerk. In an initial phase, the storage facility will have an output of 50 MW and a capacity of 100 million kWh.

In the long term, an expansion to 150 MW and 300 million kWh is planned. According to current planning, operation of the first expansion phase is scheduled to start in 2026. "With this project, we are shaping the future of energy together. A few decades ago we relied on nuclear power plants, today we are focusing on storage," said Bayernwerk CEO Egon Westphal.

The Isar site scores points with its existing grid infrastructure, which enables a fast grid connection. In the first phase, seven battery strings with a capacity of around 7.5 MW each are to be installed. The battery modules will be housed in standardized 20-foot containers. In addition, the plant is located in the immediate vicinity of the Südostlink direct current cable, which transports electricity from northern Germany to Bavaria.

"Space for something new"

Rural Bavaria is increasingly developing from a consumption to a generation region, primarily due to the strong expansion of photovoltaic systems. Battery storage systems such as the planned large-scale storage facility in Isar offer important solutions here, the report continues. They compensate for surplus electricity at midday, shift usage to times of higher demand and stabilize the electricity grid at the same time.

Guido Knott, CEO of Preussen Elektra, sees the project as a key contribution to the reuse of former nuclear power plant sites: "We are setting standards in dismantling and creating space for new things. Together with partners from the Eon family, we want to implement forward-looking projects that give the power plant sites a new meaning." Preussen Elektra is responsible for the dismantling of nuclear power plants within the Eon Group.

Author: Stefan Sagmeister