160MW / 320MWhOperationalUpdated September 29, 2026
Image: Irby Construction.
Explore the delivery team, construction timeline and six-week commissioning milestone behind Houston IV in this free Project Insight.
Project overview
Houston IV is a 160MW / 320MWh battery energy storage project developed by SMT Energy in the Houston area. Its energy rating corresponds to approximately two hours of discharge at full rated power. The facility connects to the CenterPoint transmission system in ERCOT’s Houston Zone.
Irby Construction delivered the engineering, procurement and construction scope, working with SMT Energy and FlexGen. The project moved from spring 2025 construction activity to an operational announcement in September 2026. Its role is to store electricity and release it when needed, rather than generate new fuel-based power.
Latest updates
Construction timeline, from announcement through delivery. Filed dates and future targets are labeled separately from confirmed events. Reviewed September 29, 2026.
Before construction
Engineering and delivery preparation
Irby describes more than a year of engineering preparation before field construction, including coordination of permitting and delivery requirements.
Spring 2025
Construction gets underway
Irby’s project page places the start in April; its completion report records a May groundbreaking event with CenterPoint.
September 9, 2026
Six-week commissioning reported
FlexGen announces that Houston IV was commissioned and energized in six weeks following construction.
September 28, 2026
Irby reports the project online
The EPC contractor confirms the 160MW / 320MWh project’s operational milestone.
Project team
SMT Energy — Developer
Irby Construction — EPC Contractor
FlexGen — Controls, integration and commissioning support
CenterPoint — Transmission interconnection
From construction to an operating battery
Completing the physical installation is followed by commissioning, when the battery equipment, controls and grid interfaces must work together. Houston IV’s six-week commissioning period is a distinct milestone within the overall delivery schedule, not the duration of the complete construction project.
FlexGen describes using preconfigured equipment tested in its laboratory, field commissioning procedures and remote operations support. Its OneTouch Commissioning approach uses software automation to help coordinate that transition. The companies credited close collaboration between the developer, EPC contractor and technology team for the short commissioning window.
What the capacity means
The 160MW figure measures the rate at which the system can deliver power; 320MWh measures stored energy. Dividing energy by power gives a nominal two-hour duration. Actual dispatch depends on operating conditions, state of charge and market requirements.
The interconnection places the asset in the Houston electricity market. Battery storage can shift energy between periods and support grid operations, but it should not be described as continuous generation: the batteries must first be charged.
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