In 2024, one of AEPCO’s battery storage projects was completed in Fort Mohave. More battery storage projects are anticipated in the coming years.
While AEPCO and their Member Cooperatives, including MEC, have already added a significant amount of battery storage throughout the service territories, adding additional storage must be done strategically. Although battery storage helps to improve the performance of solar facilities by shifting some of the solar energy to hours when there is more demand for electricity, batteries are not a substitute for flexible natural gas turbines that can be tapped at any time. Natural gas turbines can vary output levels to meet any system condition, including emergencies and extreme weather.
When AEPCO considers investing in a new power generation resource, we carefully consider alternatives in the context of reliability. As a result, we are committed to incorporating battery storage safely and appropriately to help meet the energy needs of our members and community, while also incorporating new efficient natural gas turbines to diversify our power portfolio to improve reliability.