Hunt Energy Acquires 100MW Battery, Cementing Role in Texas Grid Stability

DALLAS, TX – February 24, 2026 – In a significant move underscoring an aggressive expansion strategy, Hunt Energy Network announced today it has acquired the 100-megawatt (MW) Fort Duncan battery energy storage system (BESS) from Recurrent Energy. The acquisition of the recently commissioned facility in Eagle Pass, Texas, boosts Hunt's portfolio to 33 BESS facilities with a total capacity of 420MW within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), solidifying the company's position as a major force in the state's rapidly evolving energy landscape.

The deal represents more than a simple asset transfer; it highlights a broader trend of strategic consolidation and technological optimization in a market grappling with the dual pressures of soaring demand and the need for grid resilience. For Hunt Energy Network, the purchase is a deliberate step in a larger campaign to build a formidable presence in Texas, backed by substantial institutional investment and proprietary technology.

A Strategic Power Play in the Texas Grid

The acquisition of the Fort Duncan facility is a cornerstone of Hunt's stated goal to dramatically increase its footprint in the ERCOT market. The Dallas-based firm, part of the privately held Ray L. Hunt family of companies, is leveraging strong financial backing to accelerate its growth.

"We are fully committed to dramatically growing our presence within ERCOT, and this acquisition is a strong step towards achieving that goal," said Pat Wood, Executive Chairman of Hunt Energy Network, in a statement. Wood noted that the company, with support from Manulife Investment Management, is actively seeking to acquire more battery storage and generation assets in the near term.

This financial firepower is substantial. In August 2024, Manulife committed an additional $250 million to Hunt Energy Network, specifically for developing and operating dispatchable power resources in Texas. This followed a previous $225 million commitment in 2021, which helped establish a large portfolio of operational energy storage. With the Fort Duncan purchase, Hunt and its affiliates now reportedly own nearly one in six BESS assets in the state, strategically located across all four of ERCOT's load zones to maximize market effectiveness.

The Brains Behind the Batteries: TraDER's Role

Central to Hunt Energy Network’s strategy is its proprietary TraDER QSE optimization and asset management platform. The company credits this advanced software with its ability to effectively manage a diverse and growing portfolio. The platform will now integrate the transmission-level 100MW Fort Duncan facility alongside Hunt's existing 32 distribution-level 10MW facilities.

TraDER—which stands for Trading and Dispatch of Energy Resources—is an end-to-end system that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize battery operations. It handles everything from automated bidding into ERCOT's complex markets to real-time state-of-charge management, all with the goal of maximizing revenue while extending the lifespan of the physical assets. This technological edge is a key differentiator in a market where split-second decisions can have significant financial implications.

"Our TraDER platform is designed to smoothly assimilate new facilities into our system," stated Stephanie Kroger, President and CEO of Hunt Energy Network. "As we grow and acquire assets, TraDER will ensure that our complete portfolio of facilities throughout ERCOT will operate at optimal efficiency." The company also offers its TraDER platform and Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) services to third-party generation owners, positioning itself not just as an asset owner but as a technology and service provider.

The Booming, Volatile Market for Grid-Scale Batteries

The Hunt-Recurrent deal unfolds against the backdrop of an explosive expansion of battery storage in Texas. The state is on track to surpass California as the largest BESS market in the United States in 2026, with projections indicating capacity could quadruple to over 50 gigawatts by 2029. This boom is a direct response to ERCOT's unique challenges, including managing the intermittency of its vast wind and solar resources and bolstering reliability after high-profile grid failures during extreme weather.

While ERCOT's interconnection queue is flooded with over 400 GW of proposed projects, the path to commercial operation is fraught with challenges, including long delays and a high attrition rate. This reality makes the acquisition of a proven, operational asset like Fort Duncan particularly strategic. The facility, which came online in June 2025, has already demonstrated its value. Located in Maverick County, the 100MW/200MWh system can dispatch power for two hours, enough to serve approximately 66,100 households and provide critical relief to local transmission congestion in South Texas.

Monetizing Success: The Seller's Strategy

For the seller, Recurrent Energy, the transaction is a calculated move to fuel its own growth. A subsidiary of Canadian Solar, Recurrent Energy is pursuing a strategy of "selective monetization," where it sells high-performing, de-risked assets to recycle capital into its extensive global development pipeline.

"We are very pleased to complete the sale of Fort Duncan Storage to Hunt Energy Network," said Ismael Guerrero, CEO of Recurrent Energy. "The project has demonstrated exceptional performance and has become a reliable and responsive asset for the Texas grid. This transaction is an important milestone in our strategic initiative to selectively monetize projects to support our continued growth."

Recurrent Energy acquired the project's development in 2022 from Black Mountain Energy Storage and successfully brought it to commercial operation with financing from Nord/LB and tax equity from Greenprint Capital. The sale to Hunt allows Recurrent to realize the project's value and reinvest the proceeds, a common and crucial strategy for developers in the capital-intensive renewable energy sector. The Fort Duncan facility itself utilizes 88 lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery units supplied by Canadian Solar's e-STORAGE division, showcasing the vertical integration capabilities of its parent company before the asset was sold.