Construction work on the Beuvry storage facility is really taking shape!

Corsica Sole is continuing the construction of the Beuvry storage facility with a particularly impressive operation: the delivery and crane-lifting of its high-voltage transformer.

Carried out this summer, this technical operation marks a major step towards the commissioning of the facility, scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

A 45-tonne transformer installed on site

Manufactured by CHINT, the transformer has a capacity of 61 MVA and a voltage of 90/33 kV.

It is an essential piece of equipment for connecting the power station; it will adjust the voltage of the electricity to enable energy exchange between the batteries and the electricity transmission grid. When empty, it weighs 45 tonnes.

Its delivery, hoisting and installation at its final location were among the most impressive operations on the construction site. The precision of the crane work and the coordination between the various teams made it possible to successfully overcome this logistical and technical challenge.

A 50 MW, 100 MWh energy storage plant.

Located in Beuvry and Labourse, in the Hauts-de-France region, the future plant will have a capacity of 50 MW and a storage capacity of 100 MWh.

The facility will enable electricity to be stored when it is available and released as required by the grid. This control capability will help to:

• enhance the flexibility and resilience of the electricity grid;
• maintain the balance between electricity generation and consumption;
• support the growing integration of renewable energy sources;
• contribute to security of supply.

The plant is scheduled to come into service in the first quarter of 2027.

From coal to solar power and energy storage

The project is situated on a former industrial brownfield site that once housed a coal-fired power station. The site also hostsa 5 MWp photovoltaic power station, commissioned by Corsica Sole in 2022.

The two facilities will remain technically separate. However, their co-location on the same site makes it possible to combine renewable energy generation and electricity storage within a single energy ecosystem.

This development contributes to the conversion of a former industrial site into low-carbon infrastructure, whilst optimising the use of land that has already been developed and access to existing electrical infrastructure.

A project carried out with several technical partners

The delivery and installation of the transformer were made possible thanks to the involvement of several partners:

• CHINT, for the manufacture of the transformer,
• Eiffage Énergie Systèmes – Transport & Distribution, for project management,
• Lelieur Levage, for the crane operations and installation of the transformer.

This new milestone paves the way for the continuation of the works and operations required to connect the storage plant.