CU cuts the ribbon on newly launched battery storage system

City Utilities of Springfield this morning cut the ribbon on a newly deployed battery storage system.

CU President and CEO Dwayne Fulk was among speakers at the ceremony at the utility's Blackman Road campus.

"At City Utilities, every investment we make is centered around one goal: providing reliable utility service while delivering strong long-term value for our customers and our community," he said. "Projects like this battery energy storage system strengthen the resiliency of our electric system, giving us another tool to meet demand when our customers need electricity the most."

The five-megawatt battery storage system has the capacity to power 5,000 homes, said Warren Brooks, vice president of electric operations for CU.

Brooks said the batteries, which use "advanced zinc technology," charge at night and then discharge stored energy back into the system during peak hours.

"This is City Utilities' first large-scale battery energy storage system," he said, noting a second battery storage system is expected to come online "soon" at James River Power Station.

He added, "Battery storage is becoming an increasingly important part of modern electric systems."

The James River Power Station project would have the capacity for 31 MW, according to a news release.