Drax buys 260MW of in-development UK BESS projects

November 4, 2025
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

UK power generator Drax is set to acquire three BESS projects from York-based developer Apatura, with a combined capacity of 260MW.

Under the terms of the agreement, Drax will pay £157.2 million in phased instalments between 2025 and 2028, tied to construction milestones and Apatura’s project delivery.

The acquisition of the first two battery energy storage system (BESS) projects is expected to close in 2025, with the third set for completion in the first quarter of 2026. It is the firm’s first entry into the BESS space.

According to the firm, the 260MW, two-hour duration (520MWh) BESS portfolio spans two sites in Scotland and one in North England, with construction slated for 2026 and the first site due online in 2027.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“This acquisition is our first investment in short-duration storage as part of our FlexGen portfolio,” said Will Gardiner, CEO, Drax Group. “In combination with our long-duration energy storage, flexible generation and renewable generation from biomass, we will be able to provide 4.4GW of dispatchable generation to meet demand.” 

See the full original version of this article on our sister site Solar Power Portal.

Read Next

Premium
January 28, 2026
Leading BESS owner-operators across Europe discuss the key trends around the financing and deployment of grid-scale projects, with the segment now the driver of continent-wide deployments according to trade body SolarPower Europe.
January 28, 2026
Bigger, longer-duration projects and more sophisticated deal structuring are driving the energy storage industry forward, but a lack of common approaches from transmission system operators (TSOs) remains a challenge.
January 27, 2026
Lenders requirements for contracted revenues for BESS projects in the UK appears to have softened, an executive at investment firm Triple Point said.
January 27, 2026
More BESS news from across Europe, with ContourGlobal and Alpiq striking sizeable deals in Greece and France, Iberdrola putting projects into operation in Spain, and other project news in Germany, Poland, Denmark and Southeast Europe.
January 21, 2026
The UK market saw strong interest and activity in 2025 but now appears to be shifting from a development market to one focused on execution, writes Solar Media analyst Charlotte Gisbourne.