Investors who had obtained licenses from RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, for prospective energy storage stations and were queued up for project approvals will now essentially lose their places as a new energy ministry bill requires additional studies, which, when submitted, will give applicants new waiting-list numbers.

Older documents already submitted for projects will remain valid. RAE has expressed its disapproval of the energy ministry’s rule revision, noting it will create a huge backlog of work for the authority.

Holders of licenses for energy storage stations will now need to also submit an extensive list of technical descriptions concerning various aspects of their projects. They include: technical configuration and main equipment of the station; maximum infusion and absorption power; guaranteed capacity; initial installed capacity of the storage systems; possible expected capacity loss during operation and the degree and method of its replenishment; as well as foreseen replacement of main equipment during the life of the station.

According to recent data, RAE, by the end of 2021, had issued a total of 181 licenses for energy storage projects representing a total capacity of 14.3 GW, including 14 pumped-storage stations with a 3.04-GW capacity.