Eesti Energia Opens the Largest Battery Storage in Estonia

Today, Eesti Energia opened the Baltic’s largest battery storage at the Auvere industrial complex. This state-of-the-art storage system is already enhancing the stability of the regional electricity grid and mitigating high peak electricity prices for consumers.

According to Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi, who attended the inauguration event, the Auvere battery reservoir represents a pivotal advancement in Estonia's energy transition. "For a democratic nation, having renewable energy storage capacity is crucial for enhancing energy independence. It's also heartening that this investment incorporates technology from the free world," Ligi stated.

The battery, with a capacity of 26.5 megawatts and 53.1 megawatt-hours, is situated at the Auvere industrial complex in Ida-Virumaa. It is designed to participate in both the electricity exchange and other energy markets to ensure the security of electricity supply. The investment in the Auvere battery amounts to €19.6 million.

"The battery is able to respond to fluctuations in the power system very effectively. This modern capacity significantly reduces the costs of balancing the Baltic electricity system and thus the final price for the consumer," explained Kristjan Kuhi, Member of the Management Board of Eesti Energia. "An additional positive impact will also be felt in the day-ahead electricity market, where the battery will be able to smooth out high price peaks for consumers and create demand in the market during times of surplus production."

The international tender organized by the energy company for the construction of the battery was won by the energy solutions system integrator Diotech Group, which will supply next-generation battery technology from LG Energy Solution. Installation and connection work were carried out by Enefit Solutions.

"We are delighted to lead the way in battery technology development in Estonia in collaboration with Eesti Energia. Battery solutions are essential for the decarbonization of the energy system, and the Auvere battery is a testament to this in the Baltic market," remarked Kyuwon Heo, Head of Commercial / Grid ESS Europe in LG Energy Solution.

"The Auvere battery reservoir project was a unique endeavor for us, with a demanding work schedule at times. However, we successfully completed everything on time and to a high standard. The experience provided us with invaluable know-how for future projects. This, in turn, will enable us to continue contributing to the development of Baltic energy storage network," said Mart Moora, Member of the Board at Diotech.

Eesti Energia announced the tender for the large storage supplier in the summer of 2023, and the battery storage commenced operations on February 1, just prior to the desynchronization of the Baltic electricity system from the Russian grid.