East Point Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equinor, has completed construction and commenced operations at the Citrus Flatts Energy Center, a 100 MW/200 MWh battery storage facility located in Harlingen, Texas, in Cameron County.

The project represents Equinor's largest energy storage project in the United States to date and brings the company's total number of battery storage facilities in commercial production to five over the past four years.

From Developer to Independent Power Producer

The Citrus Flatts facility marks a significant milestone for East Point Energy, which is transitioning from its role as a developer to that of an independent power producer. Citrus Flatts is East Point's second operational project, following the start-up of the smaller 10 MW/20 MWh Sunset Ridge facility, which came online last year.

Christian Lie Hansen, Equinor's vice president of onshore renewables Americas and chair of the East Point Energy board, described the projects as central to the company's broader ambitions.

"The start-up of these facilities underscores Equinor's ambition to grow its integrated power business, delivering flexible and reliable energy solutions in attractive power markets," he said.

Equinor has framed this progression as consistent with its strategy to capture value across the energy value chain. The company views onshore battery storage as a platform for building what it describes as a competitive and scalable position in onshore power in the United States.

Scale, Capacity, and Grid Impact

Combined, Citrus Flatts and Sunset Ridge have the capacity to supply enough electricity to power approximately 30,000 homes for up to two hours within Texas' ERCOT power market.

The Citrus Flatts facility alone, at 100 MW/200 MWh, dwarfs its predecessor, representing a tenfold increase in power capacity compared to the Sunset Ridge project.

Both facilities will operate on a fully merchant basis within ERCOT, Texas's primary electricity grid operator. Equinor's integrated approach to power markets involves close collaboration with Danske Commodities, which the company says strengthens operational capabilities, asset management, and portfolio optimization across its battery storage holdings.

Battery storage systems of this type store excess power generated on the grid and release it during periods of peak demand, helping to balance supply, improve grid reliability, and support affordability for consumers and businesses.

Texas as a Strategic Market

Texas occupies a distinctive position in the American energy landscape that makes it particularly well suited for battery storage investment. The state is simultaneously the largest oil and gas-producing state in the US and its largest renewable energy state.

Texas generates more wind power than any other US state and is rapidly becoming one of the world's largest solar markets. This combination of high renewable generation and significant energy demand creates the kind of supply variability that battery storage is designed to address.

Andrew Foukal, CEO of East Point Energy, pointed to the economic and infrastructural benefits the project is expected to deliver to the local community and region.

"This project will generate millions in tax revenue to support local priorities. As energy demand surges across Texas, it will strengthen the electrical grid and help keep energy costs affordable for families and businesses," he said.

The Harlingen location, situated in Cameron County in the southernmost part of Texas, positions the facility within a region that is increasingly exposed to high energy demand, particularly during peak summer periods when temperatures regularly drive electricity consumption to record levels across the ERCOT grid.

Virginia Portfolio Under Construction

Beyond Texas, Equinor is actively expanding its battery storage portfolio in the eastern United States. Construction is currently underway on a portfolio of four battery storage projects located in Virginia, operating within the PJM power market. The four projects together total 80 MW/160 MWh in combined capacity and are on track to reach commercial operation in early 2027.

The Virginia projects will add further scale to Equinor's growing US battery storage footprint, extending the company's geographic reach beyond ERCOT and into one of the largest and most complex wholesale electricity markets in the country.

An Integrated Power Strategy

Equinor's battery storage buildout is positioned within a broader portfolio-driven power strategy that the company says is designed to maximize value across its core markets.

The company views its battery storage assets and wider trading capabilities, particularly through Danske Commodities, as complementary elements of an integrated approach to the power sector.

The completion of Citrus Flatts comes at a time when Equinor is also reshaping its international oil and gas portfolio. Separately, the company has outlined plans to grow equity production outside Norway to 950,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, and expects to generate approximately USD 20 billion in free cash flow from its international portfolio between 2026 and 2030.

The parallel expansion of its renewables and storage operations reflects Equinor's stated ambition to grow across both fossil fuel and clean energy segments simultaneously.

With five battery storage projects now in commercial production and a further four under construction, Equinor and East Point Energy are steadily building out what the company describes as a scalable independent power producer platform in the United States.

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