BS Hanyang Enters ESS Central Contract Market... Builds 192MW Storage Facilities in Jeonnam

Securing the Largest Volume in Korea

BS Hanyang has been selected as the operator to install and manage large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Gwangyang and Goheung, Jeonnam, marking its entry into the Central Contract Market for Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

On the 24th, BS Hanyang announced that it had been chosen as the preferred bidder for the project to build 96MW BESS facilities each in Goheung and Gwangyang, Jeonnam, as part of the "2025 1st ESS Central Contract Market Competitive Bidding." The total project volume for this bid was 540MW, of which BS Hanyang secured 192MW.

The BESS facilities will be installed on a 17,991-square-meter site in Goheung-gun and a 13,708-square-meter site in the Hwanggeum Industrial Complex in Gwangyang-si. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with completion targeted for the end of the year. BS Hanyang is pursuing this project in a consortium with Korea Southern Power.

BESS is a system that stores electricity during periods of low demand and supplies it during periods of high demand. It helps reduce grid overload and alleviates output instability. The facilities are also expected to contribute to stabilizing the power grid in the Goheung and Gwangyang areas.

Aerial view of Jeonnam Goheung BESS (left) and aerial view of Jeonnam Gwangyang BESS. Provided by BS Hanyang

The government introduced the ESS Central Contract Market system to address power instability caused by the rapid increase in renewable energy generation from sources such as solar and wind. The Korea Power Exchange selects operators through competitive bidding and guarantees stable returns for 15 years. This year marked the first nationwide competitive bidding process.

In this bid, BS Hanyang received high marks for its technological expertise and know-how, having stably operated the nation's largest Solaseado solar power plant (98MW) and a 306MWh ESS since 2020. BS Hanyang is also jointly carrying out the first ESS project in the Jeju region with Korea Southern Power. The company stated, "With this project, we will accelerate our entry into the BESS market and expand our business portfolio as an energy company."

BS Hanyang also plans to actively pursue the development of the "Solaseado" RE100 (100% renewable energy) industrial complex and an artificial intelligence (AI) data center using BESS-based infrastructure in the future. The strategy is to create an energy hub that provides a stable power supply system for industrial complexes requiring large-scale electricity.

A BS Hanyang representative said, "We plan to continue participating in the remaining 1.6GW of ESS Central Contract Market bids scheduled through 2029. Based on our proven capabilities in BESS construction and operation, we aim to create successful cases that help alleviate renewable energy output control."