October 22， 2025
In a strategic move to address power constraints, Aligned Data Centers has announced a partnership with energy storage developer Calibrant Energy to deploy a major Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at one of Aligned's data center campuses in the US Pacific Northwest.
The agreement will see Calibrant deliver a 31MW/62MWh BESS to the undisclosed location. Scheduled to be operational in 2026, the onsite system is designed to allow the data center facility to come online and scale its operations significantly faster than traditional utility infrastructure upgrades would permit.
According to the companies, this deployment marks the first instance of a BESS being purpose-built specifically to accelerate the interconnection of a large-scale data center. The system will utilize Calibrant’s "Path to Power" solution, enabling it to function as a grid-responsive asset. It will discharge power during periods of peak electricity demand, thereby bolstering overall grid reliability while ensuring uninterrupted service for the data center's customers.
“This project flips the script on how data centers access power,” said Phil Martin, CEO of Calibrant. “Instead of waiting years for substation and transmission line upgrades, fossil-based generators, or going off grid entirely, we’re working with leading data center providers like Aligned and engaged and forward-thinking utilities to use distributed energy solutions to meet their growth objectives.”
An undisclosed regional utility in the Pacific Northwest is collaborating on the deployment, exploring "flexibility as a service" to increase and accelerate grid interconnection.
While the specific campus was not named in the announcement, Aligned is currently developing a major data center campus in Hillsboro, Oregon, outside of Portland. The company's website indicates this campus will include a BESS deployment. Aligned first announced the 27-acre, 108MW Oregon campus in January 2023. The initial data center building (PDX-01) is expected to offer 72MW of critical capacity, with a second building (PDX-02) planned for 36MW.
“This strategic project redefines how we grow in power-constrained markets,” stated Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. “With this BESS, we’re converting our load from a potential grid liability into a dynamic grid asset, providing the regional utility with the tools needed to accelerate our ramp. And we’re doing it responsibly, without impacting ratepayers.”
The partners have indicated they are evaluating similar projects for other markets.
Calibrant, backed by Macquarie Asset Management, is a prominent player in the US energy storage industry, with approximately 600MW/1,100MWh of onsite solar and storage projects in operation, construction, or development across the US and Canada. In August, the company energized three front-of-the-meter BESS installations in New York in collaboration with CoreSite.
Aligned, headquartered in Texas, operates data center campuses across the United States and has a growing development pipeline in Latin America. The company’s total active and planned capacity stands at 5GW. Earlier this month, Aligned was formally acquired by investment firms BlackRock and MGX in a landmark $40 billion deal, the largest ever acquisition in the digital infrastructure sector.
SOURCE DCD
