AST receives first batch of energy storage battery equipment to ensure power system security

Latvia’s transmission system operator, JSC “Augstsprieguma tīkls” (AST), has received its first shipment from Italy. Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH has delivered inverters and battery control equipment for the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This system, among the most powerful of its kind in the European Union, will be installed at AST substations in Rēzekne and Tume with a total capacity of 80 MW and a storage volume of 160 MWh. The equipment has already been delivered to the Rēzekne substation, where foundation work for the new BESS station is nearing completion.

“I am pleased that this EU co-funded project, which is crucial for Latvia’s energy security and stability, is progressing according to plan. Once synchronised with the European energy system, and as the share of renewable energy in the grid increases, the battery system will play a vital role in balancing production and consumption at minimal costs, while ensuring the fast-acting automatic reserves needed for frequency regulation,” said Arnis Daugulis, Member of the Management Board of AST.

The BESS delivery and installation in Rēzekne is 100% funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RePowerEU). Meanwhile, the BESS in Tume and related substation expansion works in Tume and Rēzekne will receive 75% co-financing from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

This state-of-the-art battery system will provide the fast-acting, automatically activated frequency regulation reserves required for synchronised operation with the Continental European power grid. Additionally, the system will offer these reserves more cost-effectively than most conventional power plants. Such fast-acting reserves will be critical both during synchronised operation and as the share of renewable energy resources in the energy system continues to grow.

In parallel with the battery construction, which Rolls-Royce is implementing in collaboration with German company LEC Construction International GmbH, AST’s IT specialists are creating a customised battery management system. This IT solution will allow batteries to be charged or discharged into the grid in accordance with a defined algorithm and network conditions.

The BESS will be deployed across two locations: 20 MW/40 MWh batteries at the AST substation in Tume and 60 MW/120 MWh batteries at the AST substation in Rēzekne.

Over the past decade, AST has made significant advancements in transmission network infrastructure and management technologies to prepare Latvia’s transmission system for synchronisation with Continental Europe (Central European Synchronous Area) by February 2025. This EU-supported project, the largest energy independence initiative in the Baltic region, is now in its final phase. Disconnecting Latvia’s power system from the Russian-controlled grid is a cornerstone of the country’s energy independence and security.About JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls"

AST, the Latvian electrical power transmission system operator, ensures uninterrupted and secure transmission of electricity throughout Latvia. Its vision is to become the leading transmission system operator in the region through the efficient and successful implementation of development-oriented changes. AST has 68.46% shareholding in the capital of the operator of the natural gas transmission and storage system AS “Conexus Baltic Grid”.