Stakeholders call out Peru power plan's battery storage shortfall

Peru’s preliminary 2025-34 power transmission plan proposal needs to evaluate the use of battery energy storage systems (BESS), according to Engie.

The power producer made the comment as part of grid coordinator COES’s consultation for the roadmap.

“We consider it necessary to evaluate in the proposal through a sensitivity (where, for example, BESS equipment is modeled) the impact and importance of having, among others, energy storage systems, which also mitigate congestion problems, in order to give the necessary technical signals to the responsible entities,” Engie said.

Read ENGIE builds the largest Battery Energy Storage System in Peru

For its part, ISA cited an energy and mines ministry (Minem) report that calls on COES to consider BESS in the 2025-34 plan.

“However, in the preliminary version of the published analysis, it is observed that said evaluation requested by the Minem has not been considered,” adds ISA, which highlights a recommendation by subsidiary REP to use a BESS to control voltage drops in the mid-south zone.

COES RESPONSE

COES said that the plan is focused on reducing congestion and providing reliability which, the coordinator argues, can be achieved with transmission infrastructure, principally lines.

“Alternatively, one could consider installing BESS to reduce congestion, but its contribution to achieving this objective would be limited in magnitude and temporal scope, given its limited storage capacities and because these would be quickly surpassed by the growth in demand and generation,” it responded.

COES stated that “although [energy and mining investment regulator] Osinergmin recommended analyzing BESS within the transmission plan process, Minem indicated that adjustments must be made to the respective norm to include storage technologies, which to date has not yet been done.”

Comments on the 2025-34 plan are available in the Documents box in the top right corner.

A final proposal is due to be published in the coming months followed by a definitive plan after observations from Osinergmin. After a final review by Osinergmin, the plan would require approval from Minem, expected by year-end.

Read At a Glance: Peru’s 2025-34 power transmission roadmap