Battery storage unit plan takes a step forward

Application formally submitted to the council

- ROSS THOMSON

Plans for a huge Battery Energy Storage Facility (BESS) near Wishaw have been formally submitted to North Lanarkshire Council.

The proposed development on land at Harestonhill Farm near Waterloo will comprise 400 containerised battery storage units, providing a total capacity of around 1 gigawatt (GW), together with associated infrastructure, including a control building, switch room, inverter containers, lighting, and other ancillary works.

A single gigawatt (1 GW) of power in the UK can generally power between 300,000 and 750,000 homes, depending on the average energy consumption of the homes.

A new Scottish Power Transmission (SPT) Collector Substation will be connected by means of an underground cable, which will follow the most direct route possible (where feasible), although the exact alignment is yet to be determined.

In the planning statement, energy and infrastructure advisors Sustainability Unlimited LLP state: “To ensure security and safety, the entire site will be enclosed by fencing, with lighting and CCTV cameras installed.

“The buildings will not display any lettering or signage visible from the road, thereby preserving a discreet and unobtrusive appearance within the surrounding area.

“No staff will be permanently based at the site. Parking spaces will be located on permeable hardstanding areas where required, providing adequate access while maintaining suitable drainage.

“Initial swept path analysis demonstrates that the site will be accessed from an existing access point off the A71, which runs northwest of the site.