Kallista Energy has signed a contract with ENGIE for the optimisation of its electricity battery storage site currently under construction in Saleux, in the Somme department. The site will have a capacity of 120 megawatts (MW) for 240 megawatt-hours (MWh), with commissioning planned for the end of 2026.
First large-scale BESS project for ENGIE in France
The partnership provides for ENGIE to manage the site’s commercial operation for seven years, with the objective of maximising economic performance on electricity reserve markets. Kallista Energy will retain technical management of the facility. This is the first large-scale site in France for which ENGIE will handle the optimisation of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
The BESS aims to serve two primary purposes: support the power grid through frequency regulation services on Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE) reserve markets and enhance the integration of renewable energy into the energy mix by smoothing production and consumption peaks.
Financing structured by SaarLB and BNP Paribas
The project’s financing was arranged by Landesbank Saar (SaarLB) in partnership with BNP Paribas. It marks BNP Paribas’ first project financing in the battery storage sector in France. The financial arrangement was initiated in the first quarter of 2024.
The turnkey construction of the site is being carried out by Envision Energy, in collaboration with engineering and construction firms including Velocita Energies, Artelia, Omexom, and Skyray. Envision Energy will also be responsible for maintenance and battery recycling at the end of their operational life.
A consortium of experts behind the project
Kallista Energy has brought together multiple partners to manage the technical, legal, and insurance-related aspects of the project. The Lasaygues notarial office, consulting firms Clean Horizon, Everoze, Aurora, and legal advisers Ravetto & Associés contributed to the structuring process.
Environmental and technical studies were conducted by Agence Gobe and Arcadis. Insurance coverage was provided by Verspieren, Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung AG, HELVETIA, MMA IARD, and Chubb European Group SE. The Saleux site forms part of a wider strategy to develop storage capacity in France, aimed at absorbing the fluctuations of intermittent energy production and supporting periods of high demand.
