This paper examines the development of lead–acid battery energy-storage systems (BESSs) for utility applications in terms of their design, purpose, benefits and performance. For the most part, the information is derived from published reports and presentations at conferences. Many of the systems are familiar within the energy-storage community; others have appeared in numerous tabulations of such systems, but little is known about them beyond the basic descriptive parameters such as energy and power ratings. As a consequence, some are simply cited without comment while others are described in appreciable detail. It is found that a progression in the maturity and applications of battery energy-storage is evident in these systems.