Three sites in Colorado are to receive 50 MW/200 MWh of BESS under a portfolio that Madison Energy Infrastructure has announced with CORE Electric Cooperative. The batteries, which will be built with Tesla Megapack units, are intended to add capacity to the distribution network of the cooperative, and their commercial operation is expected to begin by September 2027.
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Madison Energy Infrastructure, a US-based distributed energy company, has announced a 50 MW/200 MWh BESS portfolio with CORE Electric Cooperative, which is to be built across three sites in Colorado. It is the largest distributed storage deployment of Madison to date, and its commercial operation is expected to begin by September 2027.
The storage is to be connected to the distribution system of CORE, a member-owned utility which serves more than 375,000 residents along the Front Range of central Colorado. Demand on that system has been rising with new development and economic growth, and the batteries are intended to meet it with added capacity. According to the release, distributed storage has given the cooperative a more flexible and cost-effective means of strengthening its network.
Moving these battery storage projects from planning into construction puts us closer to delivering real benefits for our members. As electricity demand grows, this storage will help us manage peak demand, control power costs, and maintain reliable service. We're pleased to take this next step with Madison as we prepare for our communities' future.
Chris Hildred, Chief Energy Supply Officer of CORE Electric Cooperative
The projects will be built with Tesla Megapack units, and they are among the first to be supported by the $50 million agreement that Madison has signed with Tesla. The Colorado storage had also been listed in the pipeline of the Community Infrastructure initiative, which Madison launched on 18 September 2026 with a plan to develop an additional 1 GW of distributed solar and storage capacity by 2028 and to mobilise up to $2 billion for it. Battery storage is regarded as a key part of that initiative, since it helps communities prepare for demand from data centres and advanced manufacturing.
Our partnership with CORE Electric Cooperative exemplifies our Community Infrastructure initiative and commitment to delivering value and benefits close to home. Leading municipal utilities and electric cooperatives play a vital role in meeting the moment of increasing demand while prioritizing local businesses and residents. We are proud to work alongside CORE as we deploy community-first energy infrastructure throughout the country.
Richard Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of Madison Energy Infrastructure
The Colorado batteries will be added to a US market in which storage has been growing faster in energy than in power. Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association counted 18.9 GWh of BESS installed in the second quarter of 2026, a quarterly record, from 5.4 GW of power capacity, while the average duration of new systems rose from 2.8 hours to 3.5 hours. The analysts expect the buildout of data centres to strengthen every segment, and the market to reach 207 GW/715 GWh of cumulative installations by 2031.