Quinbrook to build one of UK’s biggest batteries at site of old coal power station

Energy investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners is to build one of the biggest battery storage installations in the UK – a 230MW/460MWh facility to be located on the site of a former coal-fired power station.

Quinbrook, which boasts ties to Australia through one of the group’s two partners, David Scaysbrook, and an extensive portfolio of energy assets in the country, says has acquired the exclusive development rights to battery to be located at the site of the former Uskmouth coal-fired power station in the south of Wales.

Quinbrook is partnering with Energy Optimisation Solutions on the Project Uskmouth battery storage development, which will be part of a major redevelopment and regeneration into what will hopefully be a Sustainable Energy Park.

“The UK’s ‘Net Zero’ transformation is an unprecedented investment opportunity for Quinbrook with a diverse array of attractive thematics,” said Rory Quinlan, Quinbrook’s other co-founder and managing partner, based in London.

“Our ‘whole of system’ investment philosophy puts the emphasis on addressing critical infrastructure needs and enablers for a stable transition to a decarbonised power system.

“If the UK power system is to meet its 2030 renewables targets (of 95% decarbonised power generation), battery storage will need to increase significantly to address urgent stability and flexibility requirements.

Quinlan says almost 10% of UK grid capacity is expected to be provided by battery storage by 2030, representing an estimated GBP 20 billion of new capital investment.

“Project Uskmouth is a timely example of how specialist energy infrastructure investors like Quinbrook can identify new opportunities of substantial scale and positive impact arising from the energy transition,” he said.

Construction is expected to take around 18 months with the project to become fully operational towards the end of 2024.