Calif. utility inks largest U.S. battery purchase in history

Southern California Edison said late last week it had finalized what analysts called the nation's largest-ever purchase of battery storage, as the state of California seeks to ramp up renewables and retire gas-fired plants in coming years. The new storage in Southern California tops the 590 MW contracted by NV Energy in Nevada last year, making it the largest single procurement in the United States, said Jason Burwen, vice president for policy at the Energy Storage Association. "This is the biggest single procurement of battery energy storage projects that we are aware of," wrote Burwen in an email.