DRI, the European Union renewables arm of DTEK, has closed approximately USD 127 million in project financing for its Trzebinia battery energy storage system project in Poland, in a deal described as one of the first and largest standalone BESS project financings in the country.

Deal Structure and Participating Institutions

The financing was signed on 8 June 2026 in Amsterdam and involves three lenders: Erste Bank Polska, acting in coordination and agency roles, PKO Bank Polski and UniCredit.

The facility is structured on a non-recourse basis and is backed by a guarantee from KUKE S.A., Poland's export credit agency, acting on behalf of the Polish State Treasury under its ITE programme, which covers energy transformation investments.

The transaction marks DRI's first BESS project structured under a project finance framework. Erste Bank Polska is serving as KUKE Coordinator, Facility Agent, and Account Bank. The structure is said to align with sustainable finance frameworks and is intended to support the development of energy transition infrastructure across Poland.

Project Specifications and Location

The Trzebinia BESS project will be located in the Trzebinia district of Poland and will have a total installed capacity of 133 megawatts, positioning it among the largest battery energy storage facilities in the country.

Construction began several weeks before the financing announcement and is described as progressing as planned. The facility is expected to become operational in early 2027.

Once online, the plant will provide balancing services to Poland's power system, offering fast-response energy reserves that can be dispatched within milliseconds. The project is also set to participate in Poland's Capacity Market from 2027, contributing to grid stability during periods of peak demand or system stress.

Executive Statements

Murat Cinar, CEO of DRI, described the transaction as an endorsement of the company's ability to structure bankable projects and attract both international and domestic financial institutions alongside public guarantee mechanisms.

Cinar said the deal reinforces DRI's position as a key player in renewable energy and energy storage development in Poland and across Central and Eastern Europe.

Daniel Posyniak, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Erste Bank Polska, said the bank's experience in the renewables market allowed it to provide tailored financing solutions for DRI and that the transaction represents an important milestone for the Erste Group in executing its Responsible Financing Policy.

Janusz Władyczak, CEO of KUKE, highlighted Poland's growing potential for renewable electricity generation and stressed the importance of expanding electricity storage capacity for system security and stability. Władyczak said KUKE is ready to participate on a larger scale in financing investments of the type represented by the Trzebinia project.

Marcin Michalski, Head of Investment Project Finance at PKO Bank Polski, called the deal one of the pioneering project finance transactions for the BESS sector in the Polish market and said it signals that modern energy infrastructure is attracting strong support from financial institutions.

Aleksander Pininski, Head of Investment Banking Poland at UniCredit, described BESS projects as essential to the resilience of Poland's energy ecosystem and said the bank was pleased to facilitate KUKE's involvement.

Significance for Poland's Energy Sector

The Trzebinia transaction is positioned as a landmark for Poland's energy sector on several fronts. It is characterised as one of the first utility-scale energy storage projects to be financed under a project finance structure in the country.

The involvement of a KUKE guarantee under the ITE programme reflects the Polish state's active role in supporting investment in the country's energy transformation.

The project is expected to strengthen grid flexibility and facilitate greater integration of renewable energy sources into Poland's power system. PKO Bank Polski, which describes itself as the leader of Poland's banking sector, said the deal confirms the growing role of energy storage in Poland's energy transition.

DRI's Broader European Portfolio

DRI is currently focused on the development of battery energy storage projects within Poland. The company already has an operational presence in Romania, where it has built four renewable energy assets comprising three solar parks and one onshore wind farm, totalling 299 megawatts of installed capacity. DRI also has a growing pipeline of wind and solar projects under development in Croatia and Italy.

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