Consultation opens for 50-acre battery park

If plans are approved the gigapark could be built at Teesworks, near Redcar

The public is being asked to have its say on a 50-acre (0.2 sq km) battery site which could support the national power grid for half a century.

NatPower is planning to build Teesside Gigapark on the Lang Acres section of the Teesworks site, near Redcar.

Up to 1GW of power could be stored at the park during periods of low usage, which would be diverted back into the National Grid when needed.

John Sturman, managing director at NatPower, said he was keen to meet with the local community and hear what the firm could do to help it become more sustainable.

If approved by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, the battery park would be built in three phases, with the first phase creating 1GW of storage capacity which could last for four hours.

The second phase would improve efficiency, while the third would extend the park's ability to store power to seven hours.

If planning permission is granted, phase one's construction would begin in 2027 and is expected to end in December 2028. Phase two is expected to be completed by 2030 and phase three by 2035.

Public exhibition

The gigapark will use lithium-ion batteries to store energy until it is needed.

The park will also include a battery management system, which monitors the health of the batteries, and a ventilation system to keep them cool.

A substation connecting the battery park to the National Grid is also expected to be built on the site.

NatPower said it was working with National Grid to "determine the best location for this connection point".

A consultation has now opened and residents have until 19 July to comment on the proposal.

A public exhibition detailing the plans is due to take place from 14:00 to 19:30 BST.

"We are at an early stage in our design and would welcome the views of the local community on our plans as part of this consultation," a NatPower spokesperson said.

"Your feedback will then be considered and, alongside our environmental assessments, will help to shape our plans."

Those wishing to comment on the plans can do so online at NatPower's website or at the public exhibition.