Alpiq Inaugurates Hybrid Power Plant in Budapest
Energy company Alpiq has opened a €64 million hybrid power plant in Budapest, combining gas generation with battery storage to enhance grid flexibility.
Alpiq has inaugurated its new hybrid power plant at the Csepel site in Budapest, Hungary. The facility combines 50 MW of flexible gas-engine generation with a 5 MW / 10 MWh battery energy storage system, representing an investment of approximately €64 million.
The integrated system can provide its full generation capacity to Hungary's electricity system operator in under five minutes. The battery storage offers immediate response to grid fluctuations, while the gas engines can start rapidly when additional capacity is required. This "zero must-run" concept aims to reduce unnecessary gas consumption and CO2 emissions while improving grid flexibility.
The project is expected to support the integration of approximately 150 MW of additional solar photovoltaic capacity into Hungary's power system. The new plant complements Alpiq's existing infrastructure at the Csepel site, which includes a 403 MW combined-cycle gas power station and a 35 MW power-to-heat facility.
Alpiq has operated in Hungary since 2002, and the broader Csepel site supplies about 6% of the country's electricity demand and district heating for around 20,000 households. The investment is part of Alpiq's wider strategy to expand flexibility across European electricity systems, supporting renewable energy integration and maintaining security of supply.