A Massachusetts-based energy group that owns and operates energy storage and hybrid power generation assets said it has acquired the largest standalone battery storage project in the PJM Interconnection.
Elevate Renewables, an Arclight portfolio company headquartered in Boston, on January 15 said it has taken ownership of the Prospect Power Storage installation, which was being developed by Swift Current Energy. The 150-MW/600-MWh project, located in Rockingham County near the area in northern Virginia known as “Data Center Alley.” Prospect Power is currently under construction and expected to enter commercial operation this summer.
Prospect Power is fully contracted under a 15-year power purchase agreement with Dominion Energy Virginia. Officials on Thursday said the project is positioned as an essential energy resource in the Mid-Atlantic region, supporting power grid reliability, and also helping meet rapidly growing demand for power in the area.
Joshua Rogol, Elevate’s CEO, told POWER, “As the largest data center cluster in the U.S., Virginia continues to see the bulk of load growth in the PJM Interconnection. Record capacity prices in PJM highlight a supply-demand imbalance, making battery storage an essential part of a comprehensive approach required to meet the growing needs for data centers and AI, industrial growth, and electrification.
“The acquisition of Prospect Power underscores our commitment to building the energy infrastructure required to ensure continuous power for data centers,” said Rogol. “With its scale and strategic location within PJM, this project exemplifies the critical investments we are making to support the increased need for grid reliability and sustainability driven by growing power demand.”
The addition of Prospect Power to Elevate’s portfolio continues the group’s strategy of partnering with premier energy developers and stakeholders to scale battery storage and deliver reliable, flexible power across PJM and other high-growth U.S. power markets, according to the company. In 2024, Elevate in 2024 announced a 15-MW/60-MWh battery storage infrastructure project at the Arthur Kill Power Station in Staten Island, New York. That installation is expected to be the largest battery storage site in New York City upon completion.
“In addition to Prospect Power, Elevate is developing a robust portfolio of battery energy storage assets across PJM to help drive affordability and reliability, leveraging a differentiated strategy of co-locating BESS with existing thermal generation to drive speed to market,” said Rogol. “Additionally, with our co-location approach, we are siting BESS in industrial locations well suited for power plants, with cost efficiencies leading to a strong competitive differentiation.”
Rogol added, “PJM is experiencing accelerating demand driven by AI [artificial intelligence], data center growth, and electrification. Prospect Power will provide the fast-responding, flexible capacity needed to manage peak loads and improve overall grid performance.”
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
