Tesla batteries help Texas energy site double storage capacity to 300 megawatts

Nightpeak Energy has brought a second battery storage project near Houston into commercial operation, doubling its Bocanova site’s capacity to 300 megawatts as data centers and other large electricity users drive demand growth in Texas.

The 150 MW Bocanova 2 project in Brazoria County began commercial operation on September 17.

Nightpeak announced the milestone and successful financial close on October 13, adding two-hour battery storage to support flexibility on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid.

Equipped with Tesla’s Megapack 2 XL systems, the project expands Nightpeak’s storage development in Southeast Texas. It follows Bocanova 1, the site’s first 150 MW phase, which entered commercial operation in August 2025.

Tesla batteries expand Bocanova’s capacity

The second phase brings another 150 MW of battery capacity to the site, matching the power capacity of the original development. Its two-hour duration describes how long the new batteries can discharge at their rated output.

That combination gives Bocanova 2 a storage capacity of 300 megawatt-hours. The distinction matters: megawatts measure the power the project can deliver, while megawatt-hours measure the amount of energy it can store.

Nightpeak positioned the expansion as a flexible resource for a power market experiencing rapid demand growth. Battery storage can absorb electricity and release it later, helping operators respond to changing grid conditions.

The company identified data centers and other large loads as drivers of that growth. These users are increasing the need for infrastructure and resources that can respond quickly.

Large loads reshape power planning

“We’re seeing large loads come to the grid at a pace and scale that is fundamentally changing how the power sector plans for new demand,” said Paris Hays, co-founder and CEO/CDO at Nightpeak Energy.

“Texas is at the forefront of that growth, and meeting it will require significant new infrastructure as well as resources that can respond quickly as conditions change,” he added.

“With 300 MW now operating at Bocanova, we’re putting that kind of flexibility to work in one of the most dynamic power markets in the country. We’re grateful to the City of Alvin, Brazoria County, and the local community for their support in bringing Bocanova to life,” Hays said.

The expansion is part of a two-phase development, with the first entering operation roughly a year before the second.

Banks back storage expansion

Bocanova 2 operates under a long-term offtake agreement with an investment-grade counterparty. Nightpeak did not identify that counterparty or disclose the agreement’s financial terms in its announcement.

MUFG Bank provided a tax equity bridge loan and a construction-to-term loan for the project. U.S. Bank supplied traditional tax equity.

Founded in 2022, Nightpeak said it has developed and acquired a portfolio exceeding one gigawatt of operating and de-risked capacity. That portfolio spans gas-fired generation, battery storage and powered land development.

The company also continues to advance an additional pipeline of flexible generation and large-load projects. Bocanova’s expanded operating capacity adds to that portfolio as Nightpeak develops assets intended to meet growing electricity and AI demand.