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AES Indiana, a division of AES Corporation, is marking Earth Day with significant advancements in renewable energy projects. The utility has announced the commencement of operations at the Pike County Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and received approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) for the acquisition and development of the Crossvine project, a combination of solar energy and battery storage located in Dubois County.
“These developments are key milestones in our ongoing journey over the past decade to evolve towards a more balanced energy portfolio that enhances grid flexibility while ensuring affordability for our customers,” stated Brandi Davis-Handy, President of AES Indiana. “As the demands of our communities expand, we are committed to evolving our energy solutions to meet those needs reliably now and into the future.”
Pike County BESS
AES Indiana has characterized the Pike County BESS as “one of the largest” battery energy storage initiatives within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. This project forms part of a broader investment of approximately $1.1 billion in Pike County, slated for completion between 2024 and 2026. This substantial investment also includes the repowering of the Petersburg Generating Station Units 3 and 4, along with the addition of two solar and battery storage projects that were announced in the previous year.
The Pike County BESS is capable of storing and supplying 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity for a duration of four hours, providing enough energy to support more than 38,000 homes during peak usage times.
Crossvine Project
The Crossvine project, which AES Indiana plans to acquire from Lightsource bp, is expected to contribute an additional 85 MW of solar capacity along with 85 MW of battery storage for four hours. The project aims to be operational by mid-2027 and is projected to supply electricity to approximately 14,500 homes.
This initiative will address a generation requirement highlighted in AES Indiana’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). Once completed, Crossvine will complement AES Indiana’s existing renewable energy projects, which include Hoosier Wind located in Benton County and Hardy Hills Solar in Clinton County. Together, these projects are anticipated to produce around 760,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually from solar sources—enough to power the equivalent of 63,000 homes once Crossvine is fully operational by mid-2027.
Source
www.renewableenergyworld.com