Image: DTEK
DTEK and Fluence Energy have commenced an early start of commissioning on their battery energy storage (BESS) project, the largest in Ukraine.
The deployment of 200MW of connected power across six locations is now entering the final phase of delivery, which includes commissioning, testing and first discharge of the batteries.
Six hundred and ninety-eight Fluence Gridstack cubes with the batteries have been installed at six energy storage sites – each one with a capacity of between 20MW and 50MW. Collectively, they are able to store 400MWh of electricity – enough to power 600,000 Ukrainian homes for two hours.
Under the contract with grid operator Ukrenergo, commercial operations are set to begin in October 2025 – in time for the start of Ukraine’s crucial winter heating season.
Once fully operational, the systems will provide frequency and power reserve, as well as balancing services to reinforce Ukraine’s grid. This is especially critical during outages and to reduce the necessity of implementing rolling power outages that affect the population and economy.
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Commenting in a release was Maxim Timchenko, DTEK CEO: “With our partner Fluence we are fast-tracking innovation, building homegrown technical expertise and showing that even in wartime, progress is achievable. This battery storage facility is proof of our determination to build back stronger. Together, we’re taking an important step towards a more secure and resilient energy system of Ukraine.”
Julian Nebreda, CEO of Fluence, said: “The project with DTEK to build a strong and decentralized energy system for enhanced energy security in Ukraine is perfectly aligned with our mission to transform the way we power our world. It is also one of the most impactful projects in our company’s history.
“The remote commissioning approach we have introduced ensures continuity and operational efficiency amid travel restrictions and will also enable faster scaling of any future deployments.”
Due to the challenges of war and restricted access in Ukraine, this is the first project Fluence has commissioned fully remotely.
As part of the delivery, 20 Ukrainian power engineers and operations specialists completed advanced training on Fluence’s existing projects in Germany and Finland.
The training has prepared them to manage the energy storage systems safely and independently, respond to emergencies and quickly resolve potential malfunctions.
Fluence will continue to support commissioning and operations of the project remotely through diagnostics, testing and performance monitoring to ensure safe and efficient deployment in wartime conditions.
Announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, the battery project marks the first major energy project to be delivered since the signing of the US-Ukraine Economic Partnership Agreement in April.
