A Colorado-based company focused on utility-scale battery energy storage has partnered with global technology group Wärtsilä and others for construction of a 500-MWh project near the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas.
Peregrine Energy Solutions, headquartered in Boulder, along with Wärtsilä and WHC Energy Services on December 17 said the companies are advancing work on the Mallard Energy Storage installation, sited about 30 miles northeast of Dallas. Peregrine said the 250-MW/500-MWh project is part of its buildout of power grid infrastructure across the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system.
GridStor, meanwhile, a Portland, Oregon-based developer and operator of grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), on December 16 said it has executed a tolling agreement for the 150-MW/300-MWh Gunnar Reliability Project in Hidalgo County, Texas. The company said construction of the project is underway, with commercial operation expected by year-end 2026.
The Texas Comptroller’s office, an executive branch of the state’s government, has said the state is second only to California in the amount of battery energy storage deployed. Officials said the state added about 6.4 GW of energy storage capacity in 2024, and more than 12 GW of storage has been deployed on the ERCOT system to date. Officials have said storage could account for some 30% of the state’s power grid capacity by 2030.
Tolling Agreement
Peregrine said Mallard Energy Storage has entered into a tolling agreement with a Fortune 500 company, which was not named. The project will utilize Wärtsilä’s Quantum2 energy storage system. It is Peregrine’s second utility-scale deployment using Wärtsilä technology; the company also is building the 150-MW/300-MWh Wizard Energy Storage Project in League City, Texas, southeast of Houston.
WHC Energy Services is headquartered in Broussard, Louisiana, and has offices in The Woodlands and Midland, Texas. WHC, a Surerus Murphy Company, has provided engineering, procurement, and construction services for the energy industry for nearly 70 years.
Peregrine said the Mallard project reinforces the company’s strategy of deploying large-scale energy storage assets to support grid reliability and enable integration of renewable energy resources.
“Mallard represents our commitment to deploying innovative energy storage solutions that strengthen the grid and support a more resilient future,” said Hagen Lee, CEO of Peregrine Energy Solutions. “By partnering with Wärtsilä for technology, and WHC for construction services, we are delivering cutting-edge technology with top safety and security track records and best-in-class execution.”
Tamara de Gruyter, president of Wärtsilä Energy Storage, said, “Peregrine’s vision and the dedication of its team have been instrumental in bringing the Mallard project to life. At Wärtsilä, we believe that decarbonization and efficiency go hand in hand, and this project exemplifies what’s possible when innovative leaders come together. Mallard demonstrates how advanced technology and partnerships between organizations with conviction can accelerate the transition to a global renewable energy future.”
“Our role in this initiative reflects our dedication to supporting innovative energy solutions that benefit both industry and community,” said Randel Badeaux, senior vice president for the Power Sector at WHC. “Peregrine’s leadership on the Mallard project is outstanding. We’re proud to contribute to a project that sets a benchmark for excellence in construction and engineering.”
Gridstor Project
Gridstor said the tolling agreement for the Hidalgo County project was signed with an undisclosed Fortune 500 group. GridStor acquired the Gunnar Reliability Project from developer Balanced Rock Power in February of this year. Hidalgo County also is home to the 200-MW/400-MWh Anemoi battery energy storage project developed and operated by Plus Power, an installation that came online last year.
The Gunnar Reliability Project once complete will be Gridstor’s second operational BESS in Texas. The company earlier this year brought online the Hidden Lakes Reliability Project, a 220-MW/440-MWh BESS in Galveston County.
“At a time of rapidly increasing power demand, battery energy storage helps ensure affordable, reliable power to households and Lower Rio Grande Valley businesses,” said Chris Taylor, CEO of GridStor and a former Google executive. “We are proud to increase our commitment to building battery storage facilities that help Texas sustain its historic economic expansion and deliver cost-effective power.”
GridStor, backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, manages a pipeline of more than 3 GW of battery storage projects in later-stage development or under construction across the western and central U.S.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
