Cambridge Power gets green light for 50MW Newcastle storage project

Cambridge Power has secured planning permission for a 50MW battery energy storage system in Lemington, Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK.

The planning application submitted by Cambridge Power included significant repairs to the listed building on the site of the former ironworks as well as biodiversity improvements.

However, while planning permission has been granted, Cambridge Power said “frustrations remain around the revised grid connection date offered by National Grid of 2036, a delay to the project of 13 years from the original connection date of 2023”. 

A statement said: “National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has begun reassessing and remodelling the connection times for contracted low-carbon energy projects in the transmission queue, which is to be implemented by March 2024. It is hoped that part of this plan will see BESS project developers, such as Cambridge Power, offered an interim option for their projects to connect to the network sooner, but this may come with a caveat that they may need to turn off more frequently when the system is under stress without initially being paid to do so.”

Neil Waterson, head of planning at Cambridge Power said: “This is the latest application from Cambridge Power to gain unanimous support at the planning committee held by Newcastle City Council. Particular thanks must go to the consultant teams from Savills and ITP Energised who worked with us on this application.”

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