Skip to main content
Find a National Infrastructure Project

Beta This is a beta service - your feedback will help us to improve it

Advice to AES

Back to list

Enquiry

From
AES
Date advice given
25 November 2015
Enquiry type
Email

We are investigating development of an energy storage facility including the installation of up to 50MW lithium-ion battery capacity, with potential for future expansion.

The proposed development does not generate electricity, but rather imports/exports power from the electricity network, and provides a short-term storage medium, with interconnection at voltages ranging between 33 – 275kV.

Advice given

As you state, the storage facilities do not generate electricity, and they do not appear to qualify as a generating station as defined by the Planning Act 2008 (PA2008) (s235). Further, even if the facilities could be considered as a generating station, the stated ‘up to 50MW capacity’ would fall below the ‘more than 50MW’ requirement of the PA2008. Therefore this project as described does not qualify as a generating station under s15 of the PA2008.

You mention cabling of up to 275kV. This does exceed the PA2008 threshold of 132kV in s16(3)(a), but it seems unlikely that the connection would be greater than 2km beyond AES’ premises as required to qualify. If any above ground grid connection of 132kV or greater nominal voltage did exceed 2km beyond the premises, then this would qualify as an NSIP in its own right under s16 of the PA2008.

While the project as described does not appear to be an NSIP, you may request a direction from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (SoS) for it to be treated as such. The Secretary of State may direct under s35 than any project in the field of energy, transport, water etc be treated as development for which a development consent order is required. If, having assessed consenting routes, AES consider that the scheme would be better dealt with as an NSIP, AES could make a qualifying request to the SoS explaining their reasoning. The SoS will determine this in line with ss35ZA-35A of PA2008.

You can find out more about the NSIP regime on our website at http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/application-process/, and detailed advice about creating an NSIP application is at http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/.

If you would like to explore the NSIP consenting route further, then please let me know. However, it appears that AES’ proposals do not qualify as an NSIP currently.

20/10/16 - Please note that the provisional view set out in this advice that the battery storage project in question would not qualify as a NSIP is currently under review.