The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has welcomed the Battery Energy Storage System, known as BESS, becoming operational following a testing and commissioning period which commenced in December 2025.

Testing of Gibraltar’s new Battery Energy Storage System began on 2nd December 2025 as part of a phased programme of commissioning, integration and controlled technical assessments ahead of full operation.

The BESS has been designed to provide resilience to Gibraltar’s electricity system by helping to avoid power cuts arising from a trip of an engine at the North Mole Power Station.

This is particularly important in Gibraltar because we operate as an island grid. Unlike in larger interconnected systems, where other power stations can step in if one unit trips, Gibraltar does not have that same level of back-up available within a wider network. The BESS therefore provides an important layer of protection for the local electricity system for any engine faults emanating from the North Mole Power Station.

In recent weeks, this system has already proven its value in practice on two occasions. Following a trip in one of the engines at the North Mole Power Station, the BESS picked up the load and helped avoid a power cut.

The introduction of the BESS has also meant that it has been possible to decommission the portable Caterpillar engines previously used for back-up power generation. This will not only deliver a substantial cost savings but will also help to dramatically reduce emissions in the surrounding area.

It is important to note, however, that the BESS is intended to provide protection in the event of an engine trip at the North Mole Power Station. It is not designed to prevent outages arising from faults on the electricity grid itself if, for example, a contractor were to cut through a high voltage cable.

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, who also has responsibility for the Gibraltar Electricity Authority, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “I am very pleased that, following a robust testing and commissioning period which began in December 2025, the BESS is now operational. In recent weeks, we have already seen the practical benefit of this investment when, following an issue with the LNG terminal which caused and engine to trip at the North Mole Power Station, the BESS picked up the load and helped avoid a power cut. That is exactly what this system is there to do. It is designed to help protect Gibraltar from power cuts arising from faults at the power station itself, while also allowing us to decommission the portable Caterpillar engines previously used for back-up generation, delivering substantial cost savings and improving emissions in the surrounding area. I also want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in this project and all those who have helped bring it to fruition."