UK transmission-connected 100MW BESS online at former coal plant site

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

A 100MW battery storage project in the UK connected to National Grid’s transmission network has gone online, developed by Pacific Green on the former site of a coal plant.

UK transmission system operator (TSO) National Grid has plugged in the 100MW/100MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project to its 400kV Richborough substation.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The project, dubbed the Richborough Energy Park battery, is owned by asset manager Sosteneo Infrastructure Partners which acquired it from developer Pacific Green in July 2023, as reported by our sister site Solar Power Portal.

Most BESS projects in the UK connect into the lower-voltage networks run by distribution network operators (DNOs) rather than National Grid’s high-voltage network. Benefits of the latter include a more reliable connection and better visibility in National Grid control rooms.

One of the first UK developers to opt for transmission-connected BESS projects was Pivot Power, which was acquired by EDF Renewables.

The BESS project was built on a brownfield site which previously occupied a coal-fired power station. As Energy-Storage.news has previously written, building renewables on sites formerly housing legacy power plants allows for the use of existing grid capacity.

Richborough substation hosts the connection for National Grid own 1GW Nemo Link interconnector with Belgium while the 300MW Thanet Offshore Wind Farm also connects into an adjacent substation on the wider Richborough Energy Park site.

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will host the 9th annual Energy Storage Summit EU in London, 20-21 February 2024. This year it is moving to a larger venue, bringing together Europe’s leading investors, policymakers, developers, utilities, energy buyers and service providers all in one place. Visit the official site for more info.

Read Next

July 11, 2025
The Victoria government has launched the third round of its 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program, allocating AU$6.6 million (US$4.34 million).
July 11, 2025
Allegro Energy, an Australian-based developer of water-based redox flow battery energy storage solutions, has claimed its microemulsion flow battery (MeFB) could be tailored to support the “exponential growth” of data centres.
July 9, 2025
UK BESS owner Gresham House Energy Storage Fund (GRID) has entered into long-term floor agreements with Statkraft and Markel Bermuda, which will partially replace its toll with Octopus once that expires next year.
July 9, 2025
Australian renewables developer Edify Energy has submitted plans for a 2,400MWh solar-plus-storage project to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
Premium
July 8, 2025
ESN Premium speaks with Sahand Karimi, co-founder and CEO of Australian AI-driven energy management company OptiGrid, on the new FPP reform.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter