From: Mercom India
DRI, an Amsterdam-based European renewable energy developer and the European renewables arm of DTEK Group, has secured approximately PLN 470 million (~$127.4 million) in non-recourse project financing for its 133 MW Trzebinia battery energy storage project in Poland.
The company signed the financing agreement with Erste Bank Polska, PKO Bank Polski, and UniCredit. Erste Bank Polska is acting in a coordinating and agency capacity for the financing.
The facility will support the construction of the Trzebinia battery storage project in Poland’s Trzebinia district.
The financing includes a long-term facility, backed by a guarantee from the Polish export credit agency, KUKE S.A., on behalf of the Polish State Treasury, under the ITE energy transformation investment program. DRI said the financing structure aligns with sustainable finance frameworks and supports energy transition infrastructure in Poland.
Construction began a few weeks ago and is progressing as planned. The project is expected to begin operations early in 2027.
Murat Cinar, CEO of DRI, said, “This transaction is a strong endorsement of DRI’s ability to structure complex, bankable projects and to attract leading international and domestic financial institutions, as well as public guarantee schemes. It reinforces our position as a key player in the development of renewable energy and energy storage infrastructure in Poland and across Central and Eastern Europe, while contributing to the resilience and security of the European energy system.”
The project will participate in Poland’s Capacity Market from 2027. Under this mechanism, it is expected to provide fast-response energy reserves that can be dispatched within milliseconds during peak demand or system stress.
DRI said the project is among the first utility-scale energy storage projects in Poland to secure financing under a project finance structure. DRI is currently focused on developing battery energy storage projects in Poland. In Romania, the company operates four renewable energy projects, comprising three solar and one onshore wind project, with a combined installed capacity of 299 MW. The company also has wind and solar projects under development in Croatia and Italy.
Previously, in 2025, DRI acquired the rights to build a 112 MW/448 MWh battery energy storage system from Greenvolt Group, a renewable energy project developer.
According to Mercom’s recently released Q1 2026 Energy Storage Funding and M&A report, announced Energy Storage project funding increased 115% YoY in Q1 2026, compared to $8 billion raised in the same period in 2025.
