A 10 MW/40 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) constructed in Anuradhapura was connected to Sri Lanka’s national electricity grid this morning (18) under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The system has been established with the contribution of StoreX (Pvt) Ltd, with the aim of increasing the country’s renewable energy capacity and strengthening the stability of the national electricity system.
The battery storage technology allows excess solar power generated during the daytime to be stored and released to the national grid during periods of higher electricity demand at night.
Under StoreX’s overall project, 13 energy storage systems with a combined capacity of 130 MW and 520 MWh are planned to be connected to the national grid. The Anuradhapura facility is the first of these systems to be connected.
The remaining projects are expected to be completed and connected to the national grid within the next two to three months.
Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said battery storage would enable the country to make greater use of excess solar power generated during the daytime while reducing the cost of generating electricity using fossil fuels during peak nighttime demand. He also said tender processes had begun for additional battery storage projects with capacities of 400 MW, 250 MW and 150 MW.
The minister said the project would contribute to increasing renewable energy use, reducing generation costs and ensuring an efficient, reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply.
