POWER GRID RESTORATION SYSTEM

A power grid restoration system includes a hybrid power plant that provides electrical power to a power grid. The hybrid power plant includes a power plant that generates electrical power with a power drive. A battery energy storage system, which receives and stores electrical power from the power plant, releases the electrical power during block loading of the power grid. A controller couples to the power plant and to the battery energy storage system. The controller controls charging of the battery energy storage system with the power plant and controls the release of a block load of electrical power from the battery energy storage system and the power plant while block loading the power grid during a black grid restoration.