# Korea opens 1,180 MW battery auction to balance power grid

*The 7.08 GWh central tender introduces a 25-year contract option in Jeju and tests local cell supply chains at Samsung SDI, SK On and LG Energy Solution.*

**Published:** September 30, 2026  
**By:** Seung-min Park  
**Section:** Batteries & Electric Vehicles — South Korea  
**Format:** Breaking  
**Confidence:** high  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/batteries-ev/korea-opens-1-180-mw-battery-auction-balance-power-449  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- Korea Power Exchange opens 1,180 MW storage auction with 7.08 GWh capacity
- Samsung SDI leads cumulative share at 55.8% as SK On converts 3 GWh to LFP
- Bids close Nov. 11, 2026, with grid completion mandated by February 2029

![A technician holds a tablet near large battery storage racks inside an automated facility overlooking wind turbines. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-09-30-82130c77d345.webp)
*A technician holds a tablet near large battery storage racks inside an automated facility overlooking wind turbines. (AI-generated image)*

The Korea Power Exchange opened formal bid registrations on Sept. 30, 2026, for a record 1,180-megawatt central energy storage auction, pitting South Korea's top three battery makers against each other.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment initiated the tender to curb transmission bottlenecks and absorb rising volumes of variable renewable power. Regulators designed the competitive market to stabilize regional grids before nuclear and solar generation exceeds line capacity.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "Korea opens 1,180 MW battery auction to balance power grid," September 30, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/batteries-ev/korea-opens-1-180-mw-battery-auction-balance-power-449