Wärtsilä is in the final stages of construction on the LeConte energy storage project, a 250 MWh system in Calexico, California that Wärtsilä – as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor – is building for REV Renewables.
The California Public Utilities Commission approved the LeConte system in early 2022 as part of a plan to build 15 GW of new energy storage and demand capacity by 2032 to ensure long-term reliability and meet the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard. REV Renewables’ energy storage system helps meet California’s utility resource adequacy obligations and supports various CAISO ancillary activities.
Located near the California-Mexico border, the LeConte facility is located at an important intersection for energy producers in the CAISO and San Diego Gas & Electric regions that import and export energy between the United States and Mexico. In addition, the facility is used to monitor the automatic generation control signal to maintain the system frequency and perform off-peak days to reduce transmission line congestion from the area’s abundant solar resources.
“Battery energy storage is a key factor in maintaining the reliability and stability of California’s electric grid,” said Cody Hill, vice president of battery systems for REV Renewables. “Wärtsilä worked with us to manage supply chain challenges, collaborate with local communities and implement workplace safety and training to bring this complex energy storage project online.”
LeConte is Wärtsilä’s first contract with REV Renewables. It is the result of more than a decade of joint business development work in Wärtsilä North America and Wärtsilä Energy Storage & Optimization business. The project includes Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum, a fully integrated, modular and compact energy storage system, and Wärtsilä’s energy management system GEMS Digital Energy Platform. The project is maintained and optimized with Wärtsilä’s Service+ solution, which is a comprehensive lifecycle solution for energy storage systems that includes periodic maintenance services and extended warranties.
