North Carolina’s Electric Co-ops Show How Battery Storage Can Strengthen the Grid

As electricity demand continues to grow across the United States, electric cooperatives in North Carolina are demonstrating how battery storage can improve grid reliability, enhance energy resilience, and help keep costs down for consumers.

Rural electric cooperatives throughout the state have invested in battery storage systems that serve a variety of purposes. Some provide backup power during outages, while others store solar energy for use when the sun is not shining. Larger battery systems can also discharge electricity during periods of high demand, helping utilities avoid costly peak energy purchases and reducing pressure on the grid.

One example comes from Wake Electric, which serves nearly 60,000 customers across central and eastern North Carolina. Following a severe storm in 2022 that caused widespread outages, a neighborhood equipped with a battery-backed microgrid experienced only a brief interruption in service. The project highlights how battery storage can improve community resilience during extreme weather events.

Across North Carolina, electric cooperatives have developed dozens of battery storage projects, making the state a national leader in cooperative-owned energy storage. These systems are managed collectively to maximize their value, allowing utilities to deploy stored electricity when demand spikes, energy prices rise, or reliability is threatened.

Battery storage is becoming an increasingly important tool as utilities face growing electricity demand from new industries, population growth, and electrification. By storing energy when it is abundant and releasing it when it is most needed, batteries can help stabilize the grid while lowering costs for consumers.

While battery storage supports the growth of renewable energy by making solar power more reliable, many cooperatives are also embracing these technologies because of their practical economic and reliability benefits. As battery costs continue to decline, energy storage is expected to play an even larger role in building a more resilient and affordable energy system.

This article is based on reporting by Elizabeth Ouzts, originally published by Canary Media on June 4, 2026.