SMT Energy and FlexGen Deliver Battery Storage Project in Six Weeks in ERCOT

SMT Energy, Irby Construction, and FlexGen have together completed the commissioning and energization phase of SMT Houston IV, a 160-MW battery energy storage facility.

• Houston IV expands the portfolio of projects FlexGen and SMT Energy have deployed to the ERCOT grid.
• The project delivery teams, enabled by FlexGen One-Touch Commissioning^®, leveraged pre-configured and lab-tested battery energy storage systems followed by field commissioning to build this needed energy infrastructure with speed and scale.

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SMT Energy, LLC, (“SMT Energy”), with FlexGen software and project delivery services, announced today the operational start of a 160-MW utility-scale battery storage facility in Houston, Texas, marking a significant milestone in activating energy infrastructure at speed, which is needed for grid reliability and energy affordability.

SMT Energy, a developer and operator of renewable energy and energy storage projects, partnered with FlexGen Power Systems, LLC ("FlexGen"), a leading provider of energy storage solutions and software technology, to commission the project in just six weeks, cutting the time of deployment by 3x from the original timeline. The project’s accelerated timing and successful operation reflect SMT Energy and FlexGen’s long-standing partnership and expertise in developing and commissioning reliable energy infrastructure.

This summer, ERCOT has experienced record demand and is preparing for continued rapid load growth, underscoring the urgent need for additional battery storage. Houston IV joins over a dozen projects built and commissioned by SMT and FlexGen that actively support the ERCOT grid, totaling more than 300 MW of battery storage capacity.

Irby Construction Company served as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner and worked closely with SMT and FlexGen to bring Houston IV online and help meet Texas’s growing electricity needs.

“Projects like Houston IV don’t get built from behind a desk. They get built in the field by men and women showing up every day, working long hours, solving problems, and getting the job done,” said Henry Hernandez, Director of Construction at SMT Energy. “I’m proud of what this team accomplished, but I’m even more proud that we did it without losing sight of safety or quality. Houston IV turned on faster than any other battery storage plant in our history because there was quality at every stage, from procurement to commissioning. FlexGen’s One-Touch Commissioning deployment method, powered by its software, is critical to delivering the reliability customers should expect from their batteries.”

FlexGen’s One-Touch Commissioning® process consistently delivers installations faster than the industry average because its systems are pre-configured in a lab, remotely assisted in real time by a Remote Operations Center (ROC), and executed by a dedicated field commissioning team. With more than 15-plus years of operations, backed by software, 24/7 remote management from the ROC, and a 150-plus field team, FlexGen turns batteries on efficiently and keeps them running effectively.

“Making a meaningful difference for the grid and our growing energy needs requires speed and excellence at every stage, from development and engineering through procurement, construction, commissioning, and ongoing operations,” said Jason Rislov, Senior Vice President of Operations at FlexGen. “FlexGen’s distinctive combination of software automation, our remote operations center, and on-the-ground field expertise all work together to accelerate battery deployment. What used to take 25-plus weeks took us six. That time saved translates directly into giving the grid and consumers what they need most right now: a more reliable, resilient energy system.”

“Bringing a 160-MW battery storage facility online in just six weeks required disciplined planning, seamless coordination, and an unwavering focus on safety and quality,” said Shaun Coleman, Project Manager at Irby Construction. “The SMT Energy, FlexGen, and Irby Construction teams coordinated engineering, procurement, and construction to keep every workstream aligned, identify challenges early, and maintain safety and quality at an accelerated pace. That integration is critical, not only to delivering projects quickly, but also to ensuring battery storage facilities perform reliably over the long term.”

For more information about FlexGen and its energy storage solutions, visit: https://www.flexgen.com.

About FlexGen Power Systems, LLC. FlexGen provides industry-leading software and services for deploying, managing, and optimizing battery energy storage systems. FlexGen leverages decades of software, engineering, and procurement expertise to solve today’s toughest energy challenges that enable the transition to a modern electric grid. FlexGen HybridOS^® energy management software seamlessly integrates with any battery OEM and offers advanced analytics and AI-driven insights that allow energy storage owners to deploy diverse power market strategies and integrate various generation forms, enhancing grid stability and economic returns. Serving more than 25 GWh and over 200 energy storage systems enabled by FlexGen, we are trusted by the most technically and commercially demanding developers, utilities, government agencies, and industrial companies in the world.

About SMT Energy, LLC. SMT Energy is a U.S.-based developer and operator of distributed generation and utility-scale renewable and energy storage projects. The company is led by industry veterans John Switzer and David Spotts. In its first three years, SMT Energy has transacted with institutional investors, independent power producers, sustainable infrastructure funds and other sustainable investors on $250 million worth of renewable energy and energy storage deals. The company relies on their deep experience, wide network, and strong problem-solving abilities to create above-market returns for investors and meaningful benefits for local and global communities.

About Irby Construction Company. Irby Construction, a Quanta Services company, is a leading provider of electric infrastructure solutions based in Richland, Mississippi. With over 80 years of experience, Irby Construction is known for performing some of the industry’s largest and most complex electric power infrastructure projects. Irby specializes in transmission, substation, distribution, and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) construction across the U.S.