GridStor has announced a significant expansion of battery energy storage capacity in Texas with the execution of a tolling agreement with a Fortune 500 company and the start of construction on its Gunnar Reliability in Hidalgo County.
The utility-scale battery facility will deliver 150 megawatts (MW) and 300 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage capacity and is expected to become operational by the end of 2026. Designed to strengthen grid reliability in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the project comes as electricity demand in the region continues to grow rapidly.
"At a time of rapidly increasing power demand, battery energy storage helps ensure affordable, reliable power to households and Lower Rio Grande Valley businesses," said GridStor CEO Chris Taylor. "We are proud to increase our commitment to building battery storage facilities that help Texas sustain its historic economic expansion and deliver cost-effective power."
According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), peak electricity demand is projected to increase by more than 50% by 2030, largely driven by industrial and large commercial growth. More than 12,000 MW of battery energy storage capacity has already been deployed across the ERCOT system to help meet that demand.
Construction of the Gunnar Reliability Project is expected to support more than 100 jobs, including skilled trades and apprenticeships.
Once operational, the facility will enhance regional grid resilience and is expected to provide enough electricity to service approximately 95,000 average Texas households during peak demand periods.
The Hidalgo County project will become GridStor's second operating battery storage facility in Texas. Earlier this year, the company's Hidden Lakes Reliability Project, a 220 MW battery facility in Galveston County, entered operation.
GridStor is backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and manages a development pipeline exceeding 3 gigawatts of battery storage projects across the western and central United States.
