THE EARLY stages of plans for a 350MW battery energy storage facility at Pembroke Power Station have been submitted to county planners.
RWE Generation UK plc has submitted an environmental impact screening opinion request ahead of full plans for up to 549 battery units and associated infrastructure at Pembroke Power Station, Pwllcrochan, Pembroke.
A supporting statement to the request, made by RWE Generation UK plc said the overall design had yet to be finalised, adding: “RWE is a world leader in renewables, a market leader in the development of offshore wind and a key driver of the global energy transition. In turn, RWE is looking to continue its transformation as part of a decarbonisation hub in Pembrokeshire, under the title of the Pembroke Net Zero Centre (PNZC), linking-up with new innovative technologies needed for a low carbon future.
“RWE’s PNZC has three distinctive pillars: green hydrogen production, decarbonisation of Pembroke Power Station, and floating offshore wind, in which the battery development will be a supporting/enabling technology, particularly for offshore wind and generally National Grid Electricity System Operator’s ambition to be able to operate a zero-carbon electricity grid from 2025.
“RWE’s PNZC will bring together all areas of the company’s decarbonisation expertise, including innovation, offshore wind, power engineering, trading and the development/operation of highly technical and efficient plants.”
It added: “The Proposed Development is a battery energy storage facility, ancillary equipment and associated cables with a grid connection import and export capacity of 350MW. The battery development needs to connect to the electricity grid with the preferred location being close to existing substation infrastructure at the power station site to minimise cable routing lengths.”
The proposed development consists of the battery storage units, in either 230 lithium-ion units or 549 units, depending on design configuration, along with power conversion systems and associated works.
RWE Generation UK met with Pembrokeshire County Council to introduce the Pembroke Battery Energy Storage System in April, and a pre-application enquiry was submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council in May.
It is hoped – subject to subsequent approval of full plans – that construction could start in the second half of 2024, with the battery development operational in late 2026, the report says.
