Actis, a leading investor in sustainable infrastructure, has announced the acquisition of two battery energy storage system (BESS) projects as it expands its recently launched renewable energy platform in Poland. The projects are being acquired from DRI and together represent 244MW of power capacity and 1,141MWh of energy storage capacity.
The first project, located in Kozienice, has a capacity of 112MW/518MWh and has already been acquired by Actis. The project is ready for construction. The second project, located in Trzebinia, has a capacity of 132MW/623MWh and has been signed, with the transaction set to complete once the project becomes operational.
According to Actis, the two projects are expected to be among the first utility-scale BESS projects to reach commercial operation in Poland. Together, they will provide 244MW of power capacity and 1,141MWh of energy storage with a four-hour-plus duration. Both assets have a secured revenue base through 17-year inflation-indexed capacity market contracts.
The two BESS projects build on Actis’ acquisition of Klara Renewables, a 171MW onshore wind portfolio with approximately 275MW of hybridisation potential through co-located solar PV and BESS projects. Actis said the combination of renewable power generation and battery storage supports an integrated approach aimed at mitigating power-system volatility, maximising value capture, increasing Poland’s grid flexibility and supporting renewable energy integration.
Poland is expected to retire approximately 18GW of coal capacity while adding 50GW of renewable energy and 14GW of gas capacity by 2040. Electricity demand is also forecast to more than double by 2050, driven by industrial and transport electrification and economic growth. Actis said this transition away from coal creates growth opportunities for battery storage, while Poland’s capacity market provides long-term and stable cash flows.
Jaroslava Korpanec, Head of Central & Eastern Europe at Actis, said the two projects will help build the grid flexibility required to support Poland’s energy transition, energy competitiveness and resilience. Murat Cinar, Chief Executive Officer of DRI, said battery storage is expected to play an increasingly important role in Poland’s energy system as renewable energy grows, adding that the Kozienice and Trzebinia projects can provide significant flexibility to the grid.
