West Burton energy scheme secures £230m backing

Construction will start later this year on a 500 mega-watt battery storage facility in Nottinghamshire, after green energy firm Fidra announced it had full financial backing for the scheme.

The West Burton C project will see a ten-acre plot on the former coal fired power station near Retford developed for battery storage, a system which stores power during periods of peak production and feeds it back into the grid when needed.

Fidra Energy says the scheme will be able to supply between 250,000 and 300,000 homes per year, and has signed a long-term agreement with Drax Group, who will use 50% of the project’s capacity for renewable energy storage.

Construction of West Burton C will begin later this year, and the plant is expected to become fully operational in 2028.

Chris Elder, Chief Executive Officer of Fidra Energy, said securing financial backing for the scheme was a major achievement for the Edinburgh-based group.

“This project is expected to deliver flexible and affordable electricity storage utilising existing infrastructure at a site with a long history of power generation,” he said.

“We are delighted to have secured the support of existing and new lenders to fund the construction of this project, one of the largest battery energy storage sites in the UK, alongside commitments from EIG and the National Wealth Fund”.

So-called BESS developments are considered a key component of the UK Government’s net-zero targets.

West Burton C will be built to the rear of an operational gas plower plant at the site, known as West Burton B. The original coal-fired West Burton A site is currently being redeveloped for use as a futuristic fusion power plant, which is planned to open around 2040.

Walid Mouawad, Global Head of Energy Transition, EIG, added: “Reaching financial close on West Burton C marks another key milestone for Fidra Energy and reflects the platform’s continued progress in developing large-scale battery storage projects in the UK. This financing demonstrates again the depth of institutional appetite for high-quality battery storage infrastructure and the sector’s role in supporting a more flexible power system.

“We’re grateful to our banking partners for their continued support and partnership as Fidra Energy seeks to expand its portfolio and deliver on its growth strategy.”

Nomura Greentech and EIG acted as financial advisers to Fidra Energy.