The 250 MW/500 MWh Old 300 Storage project in Needville, Texas, co-located with a 430 MW solar project, has reached commercial operations, according to Danish multinational energy company Ørsted.

Old 300 Storage is fully integrated into the ERCOT grid and will be operated independently from the Old 300 Solar installation, which has been generating since 2024.

The Energy storage facility comprises Tesla Megapacks manufactured at the company’s Lathrop, California facility. Ørsted said the developer and Tesla have been working in collaboration with the Needville Fire Department to provide “comprehensive education” on the energy storage technology and safety response protocols.

Melissa Peterson, president of Ørsted Americas Onshore, noted that BESS has been playing a larger role on the ERCOT grid, providing power at times of tight supply and demand margins.

“Achieving commercial operations at our Old 300 Storage project will have tangible benefits, such as strengthening grid reliability by providing additional resources to Texas grid operators and allowing for more diverse and localized energy options as electricity demand continues to grow,” Peterson said.

Old 300 Storage is part of a growing onshore portfolio developed by Ørsted in the United States. Major projects include a 300MW/1200MWh BESS located developed with Salt River Project and located alongside the Eleven Mile Solar Center in Pinal County, Arizona. The project was commissioned in 2024 and represented an approximate $1 billion investment by Ørsted in clean energy for Arizona.

Following the Old 300 BESS entering commercial operations, Ørsted now has 6 GW of operational onshore US energy projects. The developer estimates the Old 300 solar and storage projects will inject approximately $110 million combined in property tax revenue for the local area.