Imperial County utility officials are preparing to build a $38 million battery system that will prop up the power grid in that region.
The Imperial Irrigation District is preparing to build one of the largest battery storage systems in the western United States. The electricity storage unit will help the utility deal with fluctuating power, said IID engineer Bruce Townsend.
The battery could even help keep the grid operating during a big blackout.
The 30 megawatt battery complex will use lithium ion battery technology.
"And I believe within about five more years, 10 more years, we'll probably looking to adding to this. And we are building the facility to be able to accept expansion," Townsend said.
The battery system represents a major jump in California's electricity storage capacity. However, the state's three major investor owner utilities are also planning large energy storage systems mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
The lithium ion batteries will be able to store 30 megawatts of power and deliver about 20 megawatts to the grid. That's enough power for 20,000 homes.
The battery will help power managers smooth the flow of electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar.
"There is a certain amount of variability on that power so even on a nice sunny day clouds can come over and cause issues and the power itself is not really smooth," Townsend said.
The battery system is expected to be built and operating by the end of next year.
