A new battery energy storage system (BESS) project is underway, which will be one of Britain’s largest.
The project, located on the site of a former coal-fired power station in Uskmouth, South Wales, is a partnership between major international energy company E.ON and global investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners.
The construction work is being carried out by local company Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK, which says that activities are currently focused on developing the foundations for the battery and Power Conversion Systems (PCS), as well as the primary and secondary substations and transformers.
Part of the development plan includes significant environmental improvements, including the development of a new sustainable energy park and landscaping to make the area more attractive to wildlife, including otters and water voles.
Construction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Jones Bros contact manager Rhys Roberts said: “It’s a fantastic plan to be part of as the country’s energy transition continues to accelerate.
“It’s great to help transform a former coal-fired power station into a site that will play an important role in supporting renewable energy sources.”
The developers note that a significant benefit of the project design is how it leverages pre-existing infrastructure to minimize disruption and development time. In addition to utilizing the area’s existing grid connections and industrial water supplies, the project is also easily accessible by rail, which was used to transport approximately 74,000 m3 of construction material to the site. In addition, a fly ash tunnel that forms part of the site’s existing infrastructure will be cleaned and repurposed to house cables and electrical components before any piping works are carried out.
Rhys added: “We always want to minimize the impact on the local environment, so it’s great to be able to use aspects such as rail for the generator and transport the 20ft containers full of battery units to site.
“We are also converting a pre-existing garage from the old power station into a welfare building, with the aim of giving it an excellent Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating.
“We are currently realizing this as part of our activity, which should be completed by the end of the year.”
Big boost for UK BESS
The Uskmouth project has been in the pipeline since 2022 when it comes to global sustainable entrepreneurshipenergy manager and developer Simex Atlantis Energy (SAE) has signed a partnership with Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners to create the project under a joint portfolio company called Uskmouth Energy Storage (UES), which will own and operate the project throughout its life.
Earlier this year, E.ON entered into an agreement with Quinbrook to jointly invest in the construction of the project and acquire 50% of the project capacity.
Keith Gains, managing director and UK regional leader for Quinbrook, said at the time: “E.ON shares our commitment to sustainable development goals and recognizes the meaningful impact that large-scale regeneration projects such as Uskmouth, a former coal-fired power station, can help deliver of the government’s ambitions”
