Energy storage plant plans recommended for approval

Plans for the construction of an energy storage plant have been recommended for approval.

The proposals for the Greener Grid Park in Necton, Norfolk, were unveiled last year with the aim of supporting the increasing amounts of renewable energy being fed into the National Grid.

Breckland Council officers have recommended the 30-acre development by Norwegian company Statkraft next to the A47 should go ahead.

The council's planning committee will make a decision on the proposal on 7 May.

The plans would see the construction of transformers, an ancillary plant and underground electricity ducting, and the plant would be expected to support schemes such as Vattenfall's offshore windfarms.

The aim of the project is to stabilise the grid and provide reliable power supply during disruptions to the electricity system, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The plant would not generate electricity or result in direct operational CO2 emissions.

Construction is under way on an underground cable route which aims to connect three offshore windfarms to the National Grid at Necton and power four million homes.

Concerns regarding the use of battery storage were raised around the development due to fires being difficult to put out.

However, the company agreed to remove batteries from the plans and said it would use alternatives instead.

If the development is approved, the storage plant could be up and running within a year.

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