Natural Power has provided technical due diligence support to ENERTRAG in connection with the financing of the Les Sablons battery energy storage system (BESS) project in France, which has now reached financial close.
Located in Vendeuil in France’s Hauts-de-France region, Les Sablons is a 39 MW/117 MWh lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage project. The project is one of the first three-hour duration BESS projects in France and is designed to support the integration of renewable energy and provide additional flexibility for the French electricity system. Construction of Les Sablons is already underway, with a target commercial operation date of spring 2027.
Natural Power was commissioned by ENERTRAG to undertake a comprehensive technical due diligence review to support the financing of the project. The assessment covered key technical and contractual aspects of the development, including permitting, grid connection, the EPC and O&M contracts, the route-to-market contract, and the technical inputs to the financial model.
Julien Teixeira, Senior Technical Adviser BESS at Natural Power, commented: “Les Sablons is an important project in the development of France’s BESS market, combining three-hour storage duration with co-location alongside significant wind generation. We are pleased to have supported ENERTRAG through the technical due diligence process and to have contributed our BESS expertise to the financing of the project. Reaching financial close represents an important milestone for Les Sablons and demonstrates the continued development of bankable, grid-connected energy storage projects in France.”
The role of energy storage in building resilience and reliability into the grid is becoming ever more important, and our team of experts in energy storage technology, consenting, contracting, construction, energy analysis, and asset management has already supported more than 25 GW of energy storage projects globally.
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