PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna has begun construction of the Gryfino battery energy storage system (BESS) — a project with a maximum power of up to 400 MW and an energy capacity of at least 800 MWh. The company held a groundbreaking in Nowe Czarnowo (Gryfino) on 26–27 October 2026, and the plant is scheduled to enter commercial service at the end of 2028.

Project details

PGE said the installation will be equipped with Fluence’s Smartstack technology; industry reports state the project will use 94 Smartstack units to deliver the planned 400 MW / 800 MWh configuration. The contract for construction and commissioning was awarded to a Polish consortium (SPEC BAU POLSKA and EL PROFESSIONAL) with a gross contract value reported at about PLN 1.14–1.142 billion. The BESS has also secured a 17‑year capacity-market contract, providing long-term revenue certainty.

Local industry and content

PGE framed the Gryfino build as part of a broader local-content and regional-industrial strategy. At the October ceremony PGE’s CEO Dariusz Lubera underlined a Group target of 65% local content and said the company was entrusting delivery to Polish contractors as proof of domestic capability. Executing contractors will provide design, build and a 36‑month warranty service after commissioning.

What this means for the market

Large BESS projects such as Gryfino are material for the auto industry in Central and Eastern Europe because grid flexibility underpins fast‑charging hubs, industrial electrification at vehicle plants, and predictable power for battery manufacturing and assembly. By storing renewable generation and delivering high, short‑duration power (400 MW in this case), the Gryfino BESS can reduce curtailment of wind and solar and help meet the spikes in demand created by clusters of ultra‑fast chargers or factory charging fleets. Energy‑storage specialists and market reporters note the Gryfino installation is designed for two hours at full power (400 MW × 2 hours = 800 MWh), a profile aimed at system balancing and rapid response rather than multi‑hour shifting.