Four Microgrids With Energy Storage Slated for San Diego Installation

The San Diego region will see the addition of four microgrids equipped with energy storage to aid the state in meeting the high energy demand, especially during warm summer days and in the peak evening hours after solar power dissipates. 

The small-scale grids can operate independent of or parallel to the larger regional grid and will also help in keeping critical community facilities powered during unexpected outages.

The California Public Utilities Commission gave approval to San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to build these projects, which will add a total of approximately 39 megawatts (MW) / 180 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity at four company substations.

“These clean energy projects will help our region become more resilient to the impacts of our worsening climate,” said Miguel Romero, Vice President of Energy Innovation, SDG&E. “They will dispatch clean energy to the grid when needed and keep critical facilities like schools, Cool Zones, and fire stations powered during emergencies.”

As with other SDG&E-owned storage projects, these facilities will be connected to the state energy market so that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) can dispatch these resources as needed to balance energy supply and demand throughout the state.

The completion of the four new projects is slated for the summer of 2023. They are the latest in a series of energy storage investments by SDG&E, which also comprises the opening of Top Gun, a 30 MW facility, in June 2021 and Kearny Energy Storage, a 20 MW facility, in March 2022.