PPC breaks ground on 50-MW battery in Western Macedonia Greece

• Greek utility PPC started building a 50-MW/200-MWh battery at a former coal site in Western Macedonia, accelerating just transition and grid flexibility.

Greek power utility PPC has started construction of a 50-MW/200-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Western Macedonia, repurposing part of a coal-plant site into modern flexibility infrastructure. The four-hour system will charge when prices are low—often midday as solar output rises—and discharge through the evening ramp, while providing fast frequency and voltage support that helps the grid accommodate more renewables.

Engineering will align with European best practice: containerized lithium-ion units with sectionalized fire safety, gas detection, and robust thermal management; grid-forming inverters capable of synthetic inertia and black-start support; and a supervisory control layer that co-optimizes energy arbitrage with ancillary services and maintains state of charge for high-value events. Siting at a strong node shortens interconnection timelines and maximizes locational value.

For the region, the project is emblematic of a just transition—retaining energy jobs while shifting from lignite to clean, dispatchable capacity. Construction brings local employment and supplier spending; operation sustains technical roles and predictable municipal revenues. Environmental planning covers noise and traffic controls, landscaped buffers, and drainage sized for intense rain events; emergency response protocols are coordinated with local fire services.

Systemically, multi-hour storage reduces renewable curtailment on windy or sunny days and cuts reliance on gas-fired peakers in tight evening hours. It also improves recovery from disturbances—stabilizing frequency within seconds and supporting voltage in weak parts of the network. As Greece expands utility-scale solar and wind and pursues interconnections, strategically placed batteries like PPC’s become essential infrastructure.

After COD, availability will hinge on disciplined O&M: thermal inspections, cell balancing, firmware management, and periodic performance testing against grid-service obligations. With experience from early projects, Greece can scale similar assets—creating a flexible backbone that complements new generation and accelerates coal-to-clean conversion across the country.