# Base Power (company)

**Base Power** (also styled Base) is an American energy company, founded in 2023 and headquartered in [Austin, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/austin-texas), that combines retail electricity service with home battery backup: it installs a battery at a customer's home, sells the household electricity as a licensed retail provider, and earns additional revenue by dispatching its fleet of batteries to support the power grid.<sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/base-power-expands-to-the-houston-area-bringing-affordable-battery-powered-electricity-plans-to-more-texans-302379899.html)</sup> The company was co-founded by Zach Dell, its CEO, and Justin Lopas, its chief operating officer.<sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023, Austin, Texas, by Zach Dell (CEO) and Justin Lopas (COO)<sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup> |
| Business model | Base owns the home battery, sells electricity as a retail provider, and earns grid-services revenue from a distributed battery fleet acting as a virtual power plant<sup>[3](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10639297)</sup> |
| Battery offerings | 25 kWh, 39.2 kWh, and 50 kWh systems with an 11 kW inverter; the Base Core (39.2 kWh, or 78.4 kWh with two units) launched in August 2026<sup>[4](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10280513)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.basepowercompany.com/core)</sup> |
| Funding | $200 million Series B (April 2025); $1 billion Series C (October 2025); $1 billion Series D at a $13 billion post-money valuation (August 2026); more than $2.5 billion raised in total<sup>[6](https://www.axios.com/2025/04/10/base-power-home-batteries)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260803203117/base-power-announces-1b-series-d-and-launches-base-core-first-of-its-kind-home-battery-built-in-the-united-states)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://solarbuildermag.com/batteries/base-power-launches-base-core-home-battery-in-u-s/)</sup> |
| Typical pricing | In the Houston area, $695 installation, $19 per month membership, and 13.1 cents per kWh for electricity<sup>[10](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/base-power-raises-another-1b-to-save-the-grid-using-backyard-batteries/)</sup> |
| Utility partnerships | 40 MW residential battery tolling agreement with Austin Energy (up to $4,080,000 per year for up to 10 years); programs with El Paso Electric, GVEC, Bandera Electric Cooperative, and Lennar homes<sup>[11](https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=470909)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup> |
| Manufacturing | Base Factory 1 in Austin produces the Base Core at thousands of units per month; a 325,000-square-foot Factory 2 at MetCenter is scheduled to open in the first half of 2027<sup>[12](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/04/base-power-launches-39-2-kwh-u-s-made-base-core-home-battery-secures-1-billion-in-new-funding/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2026/08/18/base-power-factory-2-austin.html)</sup> |

## Business model

Base sells a package rather than a piece of equipment. A member receives an installed home battery, monthly electricity service, and maintenance, while Base retains ownership of the battery for the term of the agreement and handles all service.<sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.basepowercompany.com/core)</sup> The company operates as a licensed Retail Electric Provider in Texas through its affiliate Base Texas REP, LLC ([Public Utility Commission of Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/public-utility-commission-of-texas) license #10338), and as a registered Alternative Retail Electricity Supplier in Illinois through Base Retail, LLC ([Illinois Commerce Commission](https://www.edgepedia.org/illinois-commerce-commission) license #26-0121).<sup>[14](https://www.basepowercompany.com/about)</sup>

**Grid support is the economic core.** Base's software automatically manages when each battery charges and discharges. During periods of peak demand, typically mid-to-late afternoon on hot Texas days, Base may discharge member batteries to send energy back to the grid, and by aggregating thousands of batteries the fleet acts as a virtual power plant that earns revenue for the company. That revenue is what allows Base to offer below-market electricity rates and a low-cost backup battery.<sup>[3](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10639297)</sup> The company states that it reserves at least 20% of each battery's charge for members, and that during an outage the house and battery are disconnected from the grid so all stored energy goes to the homeowner; Base says it cannot legally discharge a member's stored energy to the grid during outages.<sup>[15](https://www.basepowercompany.com/blog/how-base-charges-and-discharges-its-batteries?base_vid=cc880c99-033e-467f-85f7-1585f76790ce)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[16](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10194689)</sup> Members are guaranteed a minimum backup reserve of at least 5 hours at low usage with a single battery, or 10 hours with two.<sup>[3](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10639297)</sup>

**Pricing reflects the shared model.** Because Base earns income from the grid rather than from the homeowner, the upfront cost is a few hundred dollars instead of the five-figure cost of a standby generator or a solar-plus-battery system. In the Houston area the company charges $695 to install a single battery, $19 per month, and 13.1 cents per kWh for electricity, which [TechCrunch](https://www.edgepedia.org/techcrunch) describes as about the going rate in the region.<sup>[10](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/base-power-raises-another-1b-to-save-the-grid-using-backyard-batteries/)</sup> At the Houston launch in February 2025, pricing started at $495 covering installation and permitting plus a $16 monthly membership.<sup>[2](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/base-power-expands-to-the-houston-area-bringing-affordable-battery-powered-electricity-plans-to-more-texans-302379899.html)</sup> In Oncor territory the company advertises an all-in rate around 13.9 cents per kWh, composed of a 7.7 cents per kWh energy charge plus delivery fees.<sup>[5](https://www.basepowercompany.com/core)</sup> In April 2026 Base also launched a battery-free retail electricity plan across major Texas utility territories, extending the retail business beyond customers who take its hardware.<sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup>

## Battery hardware

Base's systems are ground-mounted units installed near the electric meter, offered in 25 kWh single, 39.2 kWh, and 50 kWh dual configurations with an 11 kW inverter.<sup>[4](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10280513)</sup> In August 2026 the company launched **Base Core**, its own battery designed and built at Base Factory 1 in Austin, in 39.2 kWh and 78.4 kWh (two-unit) versions. The company says Core installs in under an hour, switches to backup seamlessly within 50 milliseconds, holds about three times the capacity of a typical home battery, and can back up a home for up to 36 hours at reduced usage with one unit, or 36 to 72 hours with two. It is rated for operation from -22 to 122 degrees [Fahrenheit](https://www.edgepedia.org/fahrenheit), carries a 12-year lifetime, and includes a built-in generator recharge port for extended outages.<sup>[5](https://www.basepowercompany.com/core)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/the-78-4-kwh-base-core-battery-can-keep-your-home-running-during-an-outage-installs-in-under-an-hour-and-gives-back-to-the-grid-as-home-battery-installations-reach-a-record-high)</sup> Battery systems are certified under UL 1973, [UL 1741](https://www.edgepedia.org/ul-1741), UL 9540, and [UL 9540A](https://www.edgepedia.org/ul-9540a) for safety and performance.<sup>[14](https://www.basepowercompany.com/about)</sup>

**Manufacturing is vertically integrated.** Factory 1, located at the former Austin American-Statesman printing press site downtown, was producing thousands of battery systems per month by August 2026.<sup>[12](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/04/base-power-launches-39-2-kwh-u-s-made-base-core-home-battery-secures-1-billion-in-new-funding/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[18](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/basepowercompany_yesterday-we-announced-our-series-c-this-activity-7382104259082973186-0_-x)</sup> A second Austin factory at MetCenter, 325,000 square feet, is scheduled to open in the first half of 2027 and will produce the Base Core and other products.<sup>[13](https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2026/08/18/base-power-factory-2-austin.html)</sup>

## Funding and valuation

In April 2025, Base secured $200 million in Series B funding under the joint leadership of [Addition](https://www.edgepedia.org/addition-addition-one-l-p), Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Valor Equity Partners, while Thrive Capital, Altimeter, Terrain, and Trust also joined the round.<sup>[6](https://www.axios.com/2025/04/10/base-power-home-batteries)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup> In October 2025, the company raised $1 billion in a Series C round spearheaded by Addition, which valued the business at approximately $3 billion before the investment, or near $4 billion once the new funding was included.<sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup> In August 2026, concurrent with the Base Core launch, it announced a $1 billion Series D at a $13 billion post-money valuation, led by Ribbit, Addition, Valor Equity Partners, and JPMorganChase's Strategic Investment Group, with participation from [Altimeter](https://www.edgepedia.org/altimeter), D1 Capital Partners, Sands Capital, Coatue, Thrive Capital, a16z, Lightspeed, Trust Ventures, CapitalG, and others. TechCrunch reported that [Michael Dell](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-dell), the CEO of Dell and father of co-founder Zach Dell, did not participate in the round.<sup>[8](https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260803203117/base-power-announces-1b-series-d-and-launches-base-core-first-of-its-kind-home-battery-built-in-the-united-states)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/base-power-raises-another-1b-to-save-the-grid-using-backyard-batteries/)</sup> Company representatives stated in August 2026 that Base had raised more than $2.5 billion in total.<sup>[9](https://solarbuildermag.com/batteries/base-power-launches-base-core-home-battery-in-u-s/)</sup>

## Utility partnerships and grid services

In deregulated Texas markets Base operates its fleet as a virtual power plant in the wholesale market. In regulated markets it works with utilities, which pay Base as a capacity provider rather than the customer paying as an electricity retail buyer.<sup>[10](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/base-power-raises-another-1b-to-save-the-grid-using-backyard-batteries/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup> The company offers utilities two structures: tolling Base-owned batteries on a pay-for-performance basis, or transferring fleet ownership to the utility once deployed under a build-transfer model.<sup>[19](https://www.basepowercompany.com/utilities)</sup>

**Austin Energy** signed a battery tolling agreement with Base Power, Inc. for up to 40 MW of power capacity from a portfolio of individual batteries installed at residential premises across the utility's service area, in an estimated amount of up to $4,080,000 per year for a term of up to 10 years, a total of up to $40,800,000.<sup>[11](https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=470909)</sup> Once installed, the combined fleet can provide its full 40 MW for about an hour and a half, and [Austin Energy](https://www.edgepedia.org/austin-energy) dispatches it during peak demand to shave load and manage wholesale prices; the utility contracts only for capacity and is not involved in agreements between Base and its customers.<sup>[20](https://p02env.austinenergy.com/about/news/news-releases/2026/Austin-Energy-expands-local-battery-storage-to-support-reliable-affordable-power)</sup> This followed a July 2025 City Council approval of a separate 100 MW, four-hour utility-scale battery installation in the Austin Energy load zone.<sup>[21](https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=471637)</sup>

Other partnerships include El Paso Electric, where batteries connect on the utility side of the meter and El Paso Electric manages dispatch centrally, paying the first 500 homeowners $250 per battery; a 100 MW agreement with CoServ near Dallas-Fort Worth; a December 2024 partnership with homebuilder Lennar to provide complimentary backup batteries in new homes; Bandera Electric Cooperative in March 2025; and GVEC in June 2025.<sup>[7](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup>

## Expansion

Base launched in Austin, expanded to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in August 2025, and entered the Houston metro in February 2025, which the company called one of the largest home backup power markets in the United States.<sup>[2](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/base-power-expands-to-the-houston-area-bringing-affordable-battery-powered-electricity-plans-to-more-texans-302379899.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)</sup> The Base Core became available in Texas and Illinois, and the company's website lists battery-only equipment and installation offerings in Colorado and [Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/connecticut), where it is not an electric supplier.<sup>[17](https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/the-78-4-kwh-base-core-battery-can-keep-your-home-running-during-an-outage-installs-in-under-an-hour-and-gives-back-to-the-grid-as-home-battery-installations-reach-a-record-high)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://www.basepowercompany.com/about)</sup> The company reported more than 500 MWh of installed battery capacity in the year before August 2026, and its solar page cites more than 30,000 Texas homeowners powered by Base.<sup>[17](https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/the-78-4-kwh-base-core-battery-can-keep-your-home-running-during-an-outage-installs-in-under-an-hour-and-gives-back-to-the-grid-as-home-battery-installations-reach-a-record-high)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[22](https://www.basepowercompany.com/with-solar?base_vid=d7cc142f-9a30-4d82-bce2-bcc4e187ad43)</sup>

## References

1. [Base Power Business Breakdown & Founding Story, Contrary Research](https://research.contrary.com/company/base-power)
2. [Base Power Expands to the Houston Area, PR Newswire (February 19, 2025)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/base-power-expands-to-the-houston-area-bringing-affordable-battery-powered-electricity-plans-to-more-texans-302379899.html)
3. [What is grid support?, Base Power Help Center](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10639297)
4. [What hardware does Base use?, Base Power Help Center](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10280513)
5. [Base Core, Base Power](https://www.basepowercompany.com/core)
6. [Base Power raises $200 million for home batteries, Axios (April 10, 2025)](https://www.axios.com/2025/04/10/base-power-home-batteries)
7. [Base Power company profile, Blizzard Power](https://www.blizzardpower.com/company-profiles/base-power)
8. [Base Power Announces $1B Series D and Launches Base Core, Business Wire via Morningstar (August 3, 2026)](https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260803203117/base-power-announces-1b-series-d-and-launches-base-core-first-of-its-kind-home-battery-built-in-the-united-states)
9. [Base Power launches Base Core home battery in U.S., Solar Builder (August 5, 2026)](https://solarbuildermag.com/batteries/base-power-launches-base-core-home-battery-in-u-s/)
10. [Base Power raises another $1B to save the grid using backyard batteries, TechCrunch (August 3, 2026)](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/03/base-power-raises-another-1b-to-save-the-grid-using-backyard-batteries/)
11. [Authorize negotiation and execution of a battery storage agreement with Base Power, Inc., City of Austin (Item 470909)](https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=470909)
12. [Base Power launches 39.2 kWh U.S-made Base Core home battery, secures $1 billion in new funding, pv magazine USA (August 4, 2026)](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/04/base-power-launches-39-2-kwh-u-s-made-base-core-home-battery-secures-1-billion-in-new-funding/)
13. [Base Power's new 325,000-square-foot factory to open in first half of 2027, Austin Business Journal (August 18, 2026)](https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2026/08/18/base-power-factory-2-austin.html)
14. [About Base Power, Base Power](https://www.basepowercompany.com/about)
15. [Understanding how Base charges and discharges its batteries, Base Power blog](https://www.basepowercompany.com/blog/how-base-charges-and-discharges-its-batteries?base_vid=cc880c99-033e-467f-85f7-1585f76790ce)
16. [Why does Base own and operate the battery?, Base Power Help Center](https://help.basepowercompany.com/en/articles/10194689)
17. [The 78.4 kWh Base Core battery can keep your home running during an outage, TechRadar (August 4, 2026)](https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/the-78-4-kwh-base-core-battery-can-keep-your-home-running-during-an-outage-installs-in-under-an-hour-and-gives-back-to-the-grid-as-home-battery-installations-reach-a-record-high)
18. [Base announces Series C, plans Austin factory, Base Power Company on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/basepowercompany_yesterday-we-announced-our-series-c-this-activity-7382104259082973186-0_-x)
19. [Utility partnerships, Base Power](https://www.basepowercompany.com/utilities)
20. [Austin Energy expands local battery storage, Austin Energy (May 19, 2026)](https://p02env.austinenergy.com/about/news/news-releases/2026/Austin-Energy-expands-local-battery-storage-to-support-reliable-affordable-power)
21. [Legislation Text 26-1526, City of Austin](https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=471637)
22. [Solar Battery Backup and Competitive Buyback Rates, Base Power](https://www.basepowercompany.com/with-solar?base_vid=d7cc142f-9a30-4d82-bce2-bcc4e187ad43)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Energy technology › Batteries and energy storage*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license
