Slovenské elektrárne, in which Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) holds a 66 % stake through Slovak Power Holding, have commissioned the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in Slovakia. Located at the site of the former Nováky coal-fired power plant, the new facility has an installed power output of 36 MW and an energy storage capacity of 72 MWh. It represents a significant milestone in the transformation of the country's energy sector and strengthens the power system's ability to accommodate the growing share of renewable energy sources.
The new battery storage system will provide Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR) services, contributing to the stability of the Slovak electricity grid as well as the wider European power system. At the same time, it will support the more efficient integration of renewable energy by storing surplus electricity during periods of high generation and supplying it back to the grid when demand increases.
The project also symbolizes the transformation of the Nováky site, which had been associated with coal-fired electricity generation for more than seven decades. Following the closure of the coal-fired power plant at the end of 2023, the site is being repurposed as a hub for modern energy storage technologies and grid balancing services.
The battery storage system has been built on the site of a former substation that had been out of operation since 2015. The project makes maximum use of the existing infrastructure, including transformers, eliminating the need to construct a new transformer station. In addition to its technological benefits, the project demonstrates the efficient and sustainable revitalization of an industrial site without requiring any additional land use.
The new facility forms part of Slovenské elektrárne's broader strategy to expand energy flexibility and storage capabilities. The company already operates a battery energy storage system at the Dobšiná hydropower plant and is preparing additional projects, including the planned integration of a large-scale battery system with the Čierny Váh pumped-storage hydropower plant.
Slovenské elektrárne are the largest electricity producer in Slovakia. Since ending coal-fired generation, the company has been producing electricity exclusively from sources that generate no direct CO₂ emissions.