FlexGen, SMT Energy commission 320MWh Texas BESS in six
SMT Energy and FlexGen have commissioned the 160MW/320MWh Houston IV battery storage project. The system was brought online in just six weeks as the ERCOT grid faces record electricity demand.
Developer SMT Energy and system integrator FlexGen have started operations at a 160-megawatt, 320-megawatt-hour battery energy storage facility in Houston, Texas. The project, named Houston IV, was commissioned in a rapid six-week timeframe.
According to the companies, this deployment was three times faster than the original timeline. The engineering, procurement, and construction services for the project were provided by Irby Construction Company.
Project Financing and Development
SMT secured $135 million in funding for the Houston IV project in February 2025. Ground was broken on the site in May of the same year in collaboration with utility CenterPoint Energy. This project is one of more than twelve that SMT and FlexGen have built to support the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid.
Grid Context and Demand Records
The battery storage system's commissioning coincides with record strain on the Texas power grid. The US Energy Information Administration reported that ERCOT set a new hourly peak load record of 91.1 gigawatts on July 22. This occurred during a heat wave and was 6% higher than the previous record of 85.5 GW set on August 10, 2023. The EIA stated that natural gas provided 48% of the generation during that peak, with solar contributing 32%.
Regulatory and Market Initiatives
ERCOT is implementing market changes aimed at improving grid reliability. A Nodal Protocol Revision Request establishes a one-time advanced grid support incentive program. It is designed to encourage inverter-based resources to implement advanced grid support features within 18 months of receiving an award. ERCOT staff reviewed the NPRR and said it would have a positive market impact, with the intention of making the market an "industry leader for grid reliability and resilience."
Related Projects and Company Moves
This is not the first collaboration between these parties in the Houston area. In April 2025, Trina Storage partnered with FlexGen on a separate 371MWh battery storage project for SMT, also located in Houston. That project use Trina Storage's Elementa 2 battery energy storage system solution.
Earlier in 2025, FlexGen expanded its capabilities by acquiring Clean Energy Services, a US-based company that has commissioned over 15 gigawatt-hours of battery storage projects. The financial terms of that acquisition were not disclosed.
