Samsung SDI signs 1 GWh contract for NCA batteries made in Indiana

Samsung SDI signed a contract on October 26, 2026 to supply 1 GWh of battery storage using NCA chemistry (nickel, cobalt and aluminum) to Alpha Omega Power (AOP), a developer of utility-scale storage projects, according to pv magazine. All cells and modules will be manufactured at the StarPlus Energy plant in Kokomo, Indiana. Combined with a prior 2025 contract, the manufacturer has now committed 1.5 GWh to the same customer.

The package is the Samsung Battery Box (SBB) 1.7 container system, which the company says delivers 17% more energy density than its predecessor in the same 20-foot container. The projects will be located in the WECC (western United States) and ERCOT markets, the Texas grid operator, with construction scheduled for 2027, as reported by The Korea Times. The choice of NCA contrasts with the global market, where LFP chemistry (lithium, iron and phosphate) dominates stationary storage.

For the energy bridge with Mexico, the relevant data point is on the supply side. The cost of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and their supply chain determine the viability of the battery projects that private companies and CFE seek to add to the grid of the National Electric System. The deal also lands while the U.S. government is weighing new restrictions on imports of electrical equipment, a context that leads manufacturers such as Samsung SDI to emphasize their local production.

On the technical side, Samsung SDI highlights its Enhanced Direct Injection technology, which injects extinguishing agents directly into each module, as a safety argument. Paul Choi, CEO of AOP, said that U.S.-made storage will support the company's growth and strengthen its domestic supply chain. Fabrice Hudry, president of the storage division of Samsung SDI America, said the company will continue to expand in North America, drawing on its technology and its local production capacity.

Deliveries are expected before the end of 2026. The next signal to watch is the U.S. decision on restrictions on imported equipment and the construction start date for AOP's projects in ERCOT and WECC, because they set the pace at which U.S. manufacturing capacity feeds the region's storage demand.

This article was drafted with artificial intelligence assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.