Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus signed its first contracts for large-scale electricity storage batteries on Tuesday, as part of efforts to reduce renewable energy cuts and increase the amount of solar power absorbed by the national grid. The agreements cover 120MW of centralised storage capacity to be managed by the transmission system operator.
Project scope and timeline
Energy Minister Michael Damianos said the agreements represent a decisive step towards addressing one of the electricity system’s most persistent challenges. The €50 million project is expected to see the batteries delivered in January 2027 and installed within two to three months, allowing them to begin operating by the summer of that year.
Damianos said that by the summer of 2027, at least 120MW of storage batteries from the transmission system operator would be in place. He said energy from photovoltaics that is currently lost because it cannot be stored would then be able to be used.
Purpose of the storage systems
The storage systems are intended to capture excess renewable electricity during periods of overproduction and release it when demand rises. The aim is to reduce the curtailments currently imposed on solar generators across the island.
Parties and locations involved
The agreement was signed between the transmission system operator and the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority, both public organisations. It provides for the installation and operation of three battery energy storage systems at transmission substations in Nicosia, Paphos and Larnaca.
Transmission system operator comments
Executive director at the transmission system operator Stavros Stavrinos said the sites were selected so the storage systems could be directly connected to the transmission system. He said renewables currently cover around 60 per cent of electricity demand, describing it as a feat.
