Vattenfall Takes Final Investment Decision on 254MW/1GWh BESS at Former German Nuclear Site

Swedish multinational power company Vattenfall has taken a final investment decision (FID) to proceed with a 254MW/1,000MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at the former Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant site in Germany.

The project will be developed as a large-scale flexibility asset designed to balance electricity supply and demand, support grid stability and facilitate the integration of renewable generation.

According to Vattenfall, its in-house trading and optimisation team will operate the Brunsbüttel BESS on a fully merchant basis, exposing the project to market revenues rather than relying on a fixed long-term contracted revenue model.

The project is also taking advantage of the existing infrastructure at the former nuclear site. Vattenfall said the combination of available land and an existing high-capacity grid connection creates attractive conditions for large-scale flexibility projects.

The company is currently in the final stages of establishing the project’s supply chain and expects to announce further details and key contracts in due course.

Vattenfall said it currently has no plans to develop additional facilities such as renewable generation at the Brunsbüttel site, with the battery project being developed specifically as a flexibility asset.