Portland's primary energy provider, Portland General, activates 1.9 gigawatt-hours of lithium batteries as part of significant storage upgrades
Portland General Electric (PGE) has joined the nationwide trend of large-scale battery storage expansion, recently winning the Seaside and Sundial projects as part of an all-source request for proposals PGE held in 2021. These projects, along with the Constable facility in Hillsboro, bring PGE's large-scale battery storage capacity to a significant 492 MW.
The battery projects are strategically located at key substations in North Portland, Troutdale, and Hillsboro, Oregon. According to Darrington Outama, PGE's senior director of energy supply, these energy storage systems play an important role in building a more flexible, reliable, and diverse generation portfolio. The batteries enhance PGE's ability to respond to sudden changes in the grid and help keep energy supply and demand balanced, particularly in the Portland metropolitan area.
The battery projects are also intended to reduce PGE's need for expensive short-term electricity purchases and maintain reliability while limiting price volatility. The 200-MW Seaside project, located in North Portland, began commercial operations in July, with the 75-MW Constable facility in Hillsboro achieving commercial operation in December, and the 200-MW Sundial project in Troutdale coming online in December.
The three projects are operated by Eolian, NextEra Energy Resources, and Mortenson, respectively. The Seaside project, in particular, supports the integration of intermittent sources like wind and solar. Aaron Zubot, CEO of Eolian, stated that battery energy storage systems sited at major substations radically improve the use of existing high voltage transmission lines.
The trendline of large-scale battery storage expansion in the U.S. is not limited to Portland. The U.S. is projected to add about 18.3 GW of new battery energy storage capacity in 2025 alone, forming a critical part of a record 64 GW of new electric capacity slated for this year, led mostly by solar and storage. Texas is a leader in large-scale battery projects, with companies like esVolta bringing three projects online totaling nearly 1 GWh of energy and 490 MW of peak power as of mid-2025.
This national movement is driven by policy, economics, and grid needs. The Department of Energy forecasts that nearly 19 GW of battery storage will come online in 2025, following robust additions in previous years, and estimates potential growth to between 120 GW and 150 GW by 2030 nationwide. The overall landscape points to a multi-state supercycle of investment and deployment in battery storage.
While PGE's name does not appear linked to newly announced projects in August 2025 sources, it is likely participating in this national movement given regional and state policy pushes. The growing battery storage capacity supports the integration of intermittent sources like wind and solar, ensuring a more sustainable and reliable energy supply for the future.
This trendline brings together Utility Dive's coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. As electricity consumption reaches an all-time high and continues to rise, the role of large-scale battery storage in maintaining grid reliability and supporting clean energy goals becomes increasingly crucial.
The battery projects operated by Eolian, NextEra Energy Resources, and Mortenson in North Portland, Troutdale, and Hillsboro, Oregon, complement PGE's existing large-scale battery storage of 492 MW, facilitating a more flexible, reliable, and diverse energy supply. In line with this, the U.S. is projected to add approximately 18.3 GW of new battery energy storage capacity in 2025, with a potential growth to between 120 GW and 150 GW by 2030, highlighting a multi-state supercycle of investment and deployment in battery storage across various industries, including finance, energy, and technology.
