Tesla Receives Approval to Build BESS with Megapacks at Giga Texas

Photo: Tesla

Tesla has received approval to build a battery energy storage system (BESS) at Giga Texas to protect itself from possible power outages. Tesla Megapacks will store energy from solar panels that will be placed on the roof of the factory.

In February 2021, winter storms hit Texas and left millions of people without electricity for several days. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was one of those impacted, as he and his family were there. Also, the construction of Giga Texas was stopped for several days. The company became one of those that helped the local population by donating and delivering food and essentials. All of this prompted the company to help the state bolster its energy market.

In early March 2021, it became known that Tesla was entering the Texas electricity market with undisclosed construction of a big battery connected to the grid. That project, consisting of 81 Tesla Megapacks, was built in Angleton last year. In late August, the company applied for the role of electricity supplier in Texas, and revealed its plans to enter the state's energy market. The Texas Public Utility Commission certified Tesla as an electricity provider in the state in a filing from November 3, 2021.

In addition, observations of the construction progress of Giga Texas in recent months show that Tesla has been installing solar panels on the roof of the plant. Obviously, the manufacturer wants to partially provide itself with energy so as not to depend on the state energy system.

To make this possible, Tesla installs not only solar panels, but also energy storage systems. According to an application filed with the city of Austin in March 2022, Tesla applied for a new project in Giga Texas. The project is called “GIGA TEXAS LCRA PERMANENT SWITCHYARD & BESS,” and will be located on 53 acres of land. This will be Tesla's second BESS in Texas.

Now it has become known that Tesla received approval for the project. While there are no details on BESS' capacity at this time, it has been confirmed that it will be located on 53.27 acres of land.

Tesla is pushing for changes in the Texas electric power grid at all levels, as it has significant problems. Arushi Sharma Frank, US Energy Markets Policy Lead at Tesla, in collaboration with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has done a lot of work in recent months to achieve further changes to the ratification procedures in Texas to make its power grid reliable.

© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

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