DTEK subsidiary signs agreement with Polish Columbus Energy for building 133 MW energy storage system in Poland
Energy holding DTEK, through its EU-focused subsidiary DRI, has entered into an agreement with the Polish company Columbus Energy to build a 133 MW energy storage system in southern Poland.
“On March 27, DRI signed a final binding share purchase agreement with the Polish company Columbus Energy, which will give it the right to build a 133 MW battery storage facility in southern Poland, subject to the receipt of permits,” DTEK noted in a release on its website on Wednesday.
"The agreement is DTEK’s first major infrastructure investment in Poland and a key building block in the company’s plan to create a pan-European energy system uniting Ukraine and the EU. DTEK’s goal is to build a 5 GW portfolio of renewable energy projects in Europe by 2030, via DRI," the company said.
The acquisition of a project for the construction of a 133 MW energy storage system makes DTEK Group one of the first companies developing this technology on a Polish scale, the release notes.
"DRI expects to close the deal with Columbus in the coming months and break ground at the site in Q4 2024 in order to complete construction and commence operations in early 2026. The project has an obligation to provide energy capacity to the Polish market for 17 years from 2027, having been successful in the 2022 Capacity Market auction organized by PSE, the Polish Transmission System Operator," the report says.
“Today’s signing marks an exciting moment in Europe’s aspirations to move beyond fossil fuels. This project will not only provide vital flexibility in Poland’s journey to a renewable future but will be an important test case for Central and Eastern Europe in demonstrating how battery storage can be deployed successfully. DTEK’s investment in the country is a crucial step towards the integration of Ukraine and Poland’s energy systems,” Maksym Timchenko, CEO of DTEK Group, said.