Developer of Renewable Energie Natpower has opened a Community Consult for a proposed 1 GW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Lecisetershire.
The proposed Swinford Bess would be in the existing Swinford Windpark, a 22MW development that is owned and is operated by Vattenfall that has been operational since 2012. In addition to the Bess units themselves, the project will also include a transmission connected substation and significant biodiversity improvements.
Nearby residents are invited to share their feedback online until April 11, 2025, and a public information event will be held on March 24 in Swinford Village Hall. Natpower has stated that it is planning to submit a planning application to Harborough District Council in late spring.
As part of the consultation, Natpower is also planning to discuss the potential recipients for the proposed Community Benefit Fund, the Energy Transition Foundation Community. The developer has stated that the Energy Transition Foundation Community could contribute to about £ 1 million annually to community initiatives in the area.
John Sturman, managing director at Natpower, said: “Battery storage will play an essential role in supplying clean, safe and affordable energy for the VK and we look forward to meeting the local community in Swinford to discuss our plans, in particular how our site can help to deliver biodiversity in the wild. We would like to hear what the community would like to see to become more sustainable. “
Natpower follows Gigawatt scale projects
Earlier this year, Natpower revealed that it had submitted a planning application for another two 1GW Bess projects, the Mowbray Energy Storage Project and the Bellmoor Energy Storage Project.
The Mowbray Energy Storage Project will be on 93 hectares of land north of the village of East Rounton, North Yorkshire. Lithium ion batteries are planned to be used on site for this project and the system will have a duration of four hours.
The Bellmoor Bess, located near the village of Thirsk, also in North Yorkshire, will also take a capacity of 1 GW and four hours. If the planning application for both projects is granted by the North Yorkshire Council, construction could start as quickly as the end of 2026 and closed at the end of 2028, with commercial activities that start in December 2028.
Last March Natpower announced plans to bring more than 60 GWH battery capacity online in the VK by 2040, as part of an investment of £ 10 billion in the British battery energy storage sector.
