Ørsted’s Old 300 Storage battery project in Needville, Texas, US, has begun commercial operations and is fully integrated into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system.

The 250MW/500MW-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) increases Ørsted’s portfolio of onshore energy projects in the US to 6GW.

It operates independently from the 430MW Old 300 Solar project but is co-located with it.

According to the company, Old 300 Solar has supplied electricity to approximately 80,000 homes and businesses in Texas since coming online in 2024.

Ørsted stated that the new BESS installation is intended to support grid stability by supplying power during peak demand periods.

Together, the solar and storage projects are expected to generate around $110m in local property tax revenue, which will be allocated to schools, infrastructure and emergency services in the region.

Ørsted Americas Onshore president Melissa Peterson said: “Battery energy storage has played a large role in providing much needed power to ERCOT in times of tight supply and demand margins.

“Achieving commercial operations at our Old 300 Storage project will have tangible benefits, such as strengthening grid reliability by providing additional resources to Texas grid operators and allowing for more diverse and localised energy options as electricity demand continues to grow.”

Ørsted sourced Megapacks from Tesla for the BESS at Old 300 Storage. They were produced at Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California.

The Megapacks were chosen for their established performance and safety standards. Both the companies worked with the Needville Fire Department to provide training on the technology and related safety measures.

The completion of Old 300 Storage marks Ørsted’s 12th project in Texas.

In May 2026, Ørsted and PGE started offshore construction on the Baltica 2 wind farm in Poland’s section of the Baltic Sea.