Acciona Energía has unveiled plans to construct a new large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at its El Romero solar plant situated in Chile’s Atacama Desert, further bolstering its renewable energy and grid stability footprint in the country.

The new facility will feature a capacity of 196 MW/980 MWh, capable of delivering continuous power supply for five hours. Scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2027, the project will double Acciona Energía’s planned energy storage capacity in Chile.

This latest BESS development follows the company’s late 2025 announcement of a 200 MW/1 GWh energy storage project for the under-construction 238 MWp Malgarida solar complex, also located in the Atacama Desert. The Malgarida BESS is set to commence operation in early 2027, forming a dual large-scale energy storage layout with the El Romero project.

Acciona Energía highlighted that the two complementary BESS projects will bring multiple key benefits to Chile’s power system. They will optimize the management of renewable energy resources, effectively shift solar power generation to off-peak sunlight hours, enhance overall grid stability, and reinforce the reliability and security of local electricity supply.

Commissioned and connected to the grid in 2016, the El Romero Solar plant boasts 246 MWp of installed photovoltaic capacity and 196 MW of nominal capacity, operating in Vallenar municipality of Chile’s Atacama region.