Edison International : New Energy Storage Facility Represents Grid of the Future

Ventura County received an upgrade in reliability this summer with the opening of a new battery storage facility in Saticoy that integrates new green technology into Southern California Edison's existing grid.

Ventura Energy Storage is one of the largest of its kind, boasting a 100-megawatt, 400-megawatt-hour battery system to help provide power during peak demand. The battery can provide power to an entire city, such as Oxnard with a population greater than 200,000, for up to four hours.

The innovative project uses 142 Tesla Megapacks to store and make efficient use of excess energy, particularly solar-generated power. That power can be released back into the grid during peak demand periods when it is needed most.

'Demand for energy is generally lower during the daylight hours before peak load occurs in the late afternoon and evening,' said Sevag Bekmezian, an SCE Systems Operations specialist who played a key role on the project team. 'As the peak hours in the evening start to set in, customers start turning on their lights and using their appliances and air conditioners. That's when power is needed the most, and that's when the sun sets and reduces generation from solar resources. This technology helps bridge that gap.'

SCE's internal project team of construction project managers, engineers and public affairs professionals laid the groundwork for the project's success. This included everything from gaining environmental clearance to presenting the project to the county for approval. The team also oversaw construction of two new substations to support the facility.

Integrating the new technology into SCE's existing grid also required the creation of new testing protocols and the development of additional tools to help analyze data in real time. In keeping with the goals established in the utility's vision for the grid of the future, these new protocols and tools ensure that the new, green technology can be harnessed to safely and reliably operate the grid.

While battery storage will continue to play a key role in future grid enhancements, it will not replace power generation. When paired with existing generation methods though, including green energy production, it will become a key component to a reliable grid with a clean energy footprint.

The energy storage facility also brings broad benefits to Ventura County, in addition to providing reliable, no-emission power to about 80,000 homes and businesses. According to project owner Arevon Asset Management, the project has generated nearly $2.5 million in new sales taxes with an estimated $11 million projected in property taxes over 35 years.

'The community involvement was fantastic on this project,' said Rudy Gonzales, SCE Government Relations manager. 'The success of the project also opens new opportunities for more of its kind in the region and throughout Southern California Edison's service area. That's great for our customers, it's great for the region and it's a big win for clean energy and the grid of the future.'