Proposal for second 'sustainable energy' facility in Hartlepool lodged with council planners

Proposals have been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council planning department for a battery energy storage system on 1.68 hectares of land off the A179 Hart bypass.

It would be located at the junction with Worset Lane in the north east corner of Whelly Hill Farm and look to support the National Grid when the electricity network is under stress.

Submitted by Reliance Energy Limited, the proposed facility is “designed to be capable of importing and exporting a maximum of 50MW of electricity from and into the grid network as required”.

A design and access statement from GP Planning Ltd states the proposals will help “facilitate the transition towards a truly sustainable energy network.”

It said: “It is considered the site and the local area have the capacity to accommodate the degree of change arising from the proposed development with mitigation and careful siting and design.

“Storing electricity locally allows for a focused management of the network, benefiting local residents and businesses.”

The development would involve the installation of 28 shipping containers to house batteries, along with other units, CCTV and a control building.

Construction would take “approximately 8 to 12 months with local labour employed where possible”.

Proposals were approved in January for another battery energy storage system facility nearby which aims to provide emission savings “equivalent to a reduction in around 12,000 cars on the road every year.”

A decision on the latest proposals is expected by May.

To view and comment on the application visit the council’s planning portal online and search reference number H/2022/0459.