TagEnergy project connected to National Grid
TagEnergy’s battery storage project is now connected to the electricity transmission network after National Grid plugged the facility into its 132kV Drax substation in North Yorkshire.
Lakeside Energy Park’s 100MW facility is now one of the largest transmission connected BESS projects in the UK. It aims to boost the capacity and flexibility of the network, helping to balance the system by soaking up surplus clean electricity, and discharging it back when required.
National Grid worked with contractor Omexom to upgrade its Drax 132kV substation. Work included extending the busbars, which enable power flows from generation source on to power lines, upgrading busbar protection and substation control systems, and installing an operational tripping scheme.
Owned and operated by TagEnergy, with Tesla, Habitat Energy and RES as project partners, the newly-connected battery will help exploit the clean electricity potential of renewable projects in the region.
National Grid’s adjacent Drax 400kV substation already hosts the connection for Drax power station, and will also connect the Eastern Green Link 2 electrical superhighway when it starts importing clean energy from Scotland in 2029.
Mark Brindley, portfolio director for northern regions at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said:
“Battery storage technologies play an essential part in delivering a net zero energy system in Britain, so connecting Lakeside BESS to our transmission network is a key moment in the pursuit of those clean energy targets.
“Our Drax substation originally connected a coal plant in the seventies, and is now playing an important role in the energy transition – connecting not only the country’s biggest battery, but also its largest biomass power plant. As the transition progresses, connecting a diverse mix of renewable technologies will be crucial in supporting the UK’s bold net zero ambitions.”
Franck Woitiez, chief executive officer at TagEnergy, said:
“For a while, Lakeside will be the largest transmission connected BESS project in the UK, and it is an important project that truly moves the needle for the energy transition.
“We’re proud to have delivered the project efficiently, energised and connected onto National Grid’s transmission network without significant delays or operating issues. That is exactly what is needed to speed the transition.
“We’re pleased to be working with our Lakeside project partners Habitat Energy, Tesla and RES to realise the full value of battery storage by connecting more people to more renewable power in our relentless pursuit of net zero.”
Image courtesy of National Grid