The implementation of PR-21 and PR-22 marks a new era for energy storage in Peru. The authorization of both procedures more clearly integrates storage devices into frequency regulation services and expands opportunities for Energy Service Providers (ESPs) to develop new revenue streams within the National Interconnected Electric System (SEIN).
PR-21 came into effect on August 1st, and PR-22 will come into effect on September 1st , with changes that will directly impact primary and secondary frequency regulation. For the market, the main shift is that batteries will begin to have a more defined regulatory role within these services.
“They are focused on primary frequency regulation, secondary frequency regulation, and the main change is that these regulations now mention a new element called a storage device. Previously, these services were offered by other types of power plants,” explained Emerson Peña Vasquez , control center operator at Inver Renewable Management, part of the Enhol Group, in an interview with Energía Estratégica.
The change represents a concrete expansion of business opportunities for energy storage . Until now, these services were provided by thermal or hydroelectric power plants, and batteries lacked a framework that clearly defined their role. With this update, battery storage systems (BESS) can begin to position themselves as assets capable of meeting frequency requirements and providing flexibility to the National Interconnected Electric System (SEIN).
“ As a country, what will be a major boom in the coming years will be standalone BESS storage projects ,” Peña Vasquez projected.
For Rodrigo Pinto, solutions engineer at the Andet Group , the modifications also expand the operational margin for these assets. Among the points he highlights are greater freedom regarding the location of the systems and fewer restrictions on their sizing, provided the project complies with the technical conditions of the network and the connection point.
This new framework also finds a market that is already beginning to show signs of investment. Peña Vasquez notes that, particularly in utility-scale renewable projects, developers are looking for suppliers and evaluating how to incorporate batteries into their power plants , and “ there is a lot of foreign investment .”
Pinto also identifies a growing movement of foreign manufacturers and companies, especially of Chinese origin , seeking to gain ground in the Peruvian market with storage solutions, inverters, and equipment for large-scale projects. Among the names mentioned by the specialist are Huawei and Sungrow, along with investors interested in plants of 50 MW and above .
This move coincides with a much broader growth expectation. Peru could add nearly 700 MW of storage capacity by 2030 , according to a survey conducted by Alexander Zanabria, legal manager of Hábitat Verde Abogados.
The projection helps to understand why the market is starting to attract new players. ENGIE, Enel, Kallpa, Acciona, Sungrow, and Zelestra are among the companies seeking to establish themselves in this segment.
Today, grid-connected storage concentrates the most visible projects in the country: Enel Generación Perú operates BESS Ventanilla, with 14.6 MW and 7 MWh for primary frequency regulation , while Kallpa Generación adds 34 MW and 17 MWh in Chilca .
These are joined by ENGIE Energía Perú with Chilca BESS, a 26.5 MW, 30 MWh plant, while Polaris, through Generación Andina, adds another 0.63 MW with the BESS 8 de Agosto project in Huánuco . Together, these facilities represent 75.73 MW of operational capacity , so reaching the projected scenario for 2030 would imply a considerable leap forward for Peruvian energy storage.
Based on this, the discussion centers on which segment will be able to capture the new regulatory opportunity first . Peña Vasquez believes that the high CAPEX still involved in incorporating batteries into large renewable energy plants may lead some developers to seek operational alternatives.
Within the commercial and industrial segment, mining appears as one of the most relevant areas of demand due to its energy intensity and the need to ensure continuity and quality of supply.
However, the advancement of new projects will be subject to a physical constraint: the capacity of the transmission infrastructure . Regulatory flexibility allows for larger-scale batteries and installations at different points within the National Interconnected System (SEIN), but their development will remain dependent on the capacity of each network node.
“ That growth has to be staggered, it has to be gradual ,” Peña Vasquez warned, noting that the development of new plants and BESS must be accompanied by expansions of lines and electrical infrastructure.
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Beyond PR-21 and PR-22: the next regulatory leap
The implementation of both procedures resolves part of the equation, but the market still awaits new regulations that will expand the monetization possibilities for BESS. Among the next steps are a more developed market for ancillary services and mechanisms such as energy arbitrage.
This process already has a second regulatory path open. Law 32249 formally incorporated the ancillary services market into the Peruvian electricity framework , while the Ministry of Energy and Mines is moving forward with the draft regulations intended to define its operation and administration.
The proposal aims to ensure that these services can be offered and demanded in a competitive environment without excluding any agent, a definition that could further expand the universe of applications for storage systems once the new scheme is fully implemented.
According to Peña Vasquez, there is still a significant difference compared to markets where batteries have more alternatives for generating income.
“For now we are taking this important step, but I believe that later on, when rules for electricity arbitrage are implemented, for example, this market will be a little more competitive,” the specialist said.
He added: “ I believe that within two or, at most, three years, we could have new regulations that support this notion .”
Chile is leading the way
In that process, Peru is closely looking at markets that have previously faced renewable growth and the need to add flexibility to the electricity system.
“For us in Latin America, Brazil is a benchmark, but there is also our neighbor Chile, which has gone through various types of regulations and also situations that have generated more know-how in the development of this type of complementary services,” Pinto explained.
For Pinto, the Chilean experience offers a concrete advantage: it allows us to observe the regulatory and operational adjustments that accompanied a much greater renewable energy penetration and to apply those lessons to the Peruvian context before facing similar challenges. Peña Vásquez agrees that looking at more advanced markets allows us to anticipate problems associated with greater solar and wind energy participation.
The development of these new opportunities also coincides with the beginning of a new political stage in Peru and the arrival of Guillermo Shinno Huamaní to the Ministry of Energy and Mines , from where the market will closely follow the upcoming regulatory definitions related to the electricity sector.
For Pinto, the change in administration raises expectations regarding new regulatory frameworks and a greater influx of capital into the energy sector, especially given its direct link to strategic activities such as mining and infrastructure. “ We in the energy sector expect significant investment ,” he stated.
With a market already attracting new players, a potential expanding storage portfolio, and a new government beginning to define its energy agenda, Peru's next challenge will be to turn the first regulatory openings into sufficient signals to accelerate investments and expand the business models of BESS.
The regulations of Law 32249, the development of projects linked to PR 21 and 22, the progress of energy storage and the upcoming tenders will be part of the debate atFuture Energy Summit Peru , which will take place on September 28 in Lima .
The meeting will bring together public and private sector leaders to analyze the next steps for the Peruvian electricity sector, in a scenario marked by new rules, investment opportunities and key definitions for the expansion of renewable energies and storage systems.