The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Board of Water and Power Commissioners on Aug. 15 advanced a utility-scale battery storage project at the Beacon Solar Plant in the Mojave Desert that will allow greater utilization of nearly 600 megawatts (MW) of solar power, while helping maintain grid reliability and reducing the use of LADWP’s natural gas-fired generating units, according to a DWP news release.

“Los Angeles is committed to showing the world that a clean energy future that is safe, reliable, affordable and is well within reach,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “With half of our energy portfolio expected to come from renewable sources by 2025 and continuing to grow from there, the Beacon battery storage system approved today will help maximize the amount of solar we capture and deliver to Angelenos.  I commend the LADWP Board and staff for the forward thinking we need to realize our vision of a carbon-free electric grid.”

The Board’s action Tuesday approved an agreement with Doosan GridTech CA, LLC to build the Beacon Energy Storage System (BESS), a 20 MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system that will interconnect with the Beacon Solar Plant and Barren Ridge Switching Stations along Highway 14 north of Mojave. The new storage project will add to LADWP’s energy storage portfolio, which already includes 1,296 MW of energy storage capacity.

“The BESS is a unique type of battery energy storage system that will be an integral part of LADWP’s ability to meet its long-term clean energy goals and mandates and help diversify LADWP’s portfolio of energy storage technologies while maintaining reliability and keeping electricity rates low for our customers,” said David H. Wright, DWP general manager.

The BESS will help LADWP meet its target of 178 MW of new energy storage by 2021, as set forth in AB 2514, which allows local governing bodies, such as the Los Angeles City Council and its Board of Water and Power Commissioners, to establish energy storage targets for their public power utility. LADWP had accelerated the timeline for the BESS from the original 2020 completion date to March 2018 to address grid reliability issues created by the interruption in natural gas supply from SoCal Gas’ Aliso Canyon storage facility.