West Wales battery storage facility signed off

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

A scheme for a battery storage facility near a west Wales power station which would put a Welsh county at “the forefront of south Wales’ low-carbon future” has been given the final sign-off.

In an application given delegated conditional approval the January meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, RWE Generation UK plc sought permission for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) of up to 212 battery units including ancillary works, along with a connection to the National Grid on land next to Pembroke Power Station, Pwllcrochan, Pembroke.

Members heard that extensive mitigation was planned for visual impacts related to the proposal.

“At the forefront”

Speaking at that meeting, project manager Victoria Williamson said RWE wanted the Pembrokeshire site to be “at the forefront of south Wales’ low-carbon future,” the battery facility providing storage of excess electrical energy from the ‘grid, contributing to a consistent energy framework by storing energy at peaks and making it available for periods of higher demand.

Members heard local town and community councils had been liaised with, and local households had been informed of the scheme, with “overwhelming support for the proposal” which the applicants hope will start at the end of 2025 and be operational by early 2028.

Approval

The recommendation for conditional delegated approval from the council’s head of planning, once a draft Habitat Regulations Assessment had been ratified, was unanimously passed by committee members.

Following that committee backing of the application, a Habitat Regulations Assessment has now been adopted confirming that the proposal would not “adversely affect the integrity of the site [SAC] either alone or in combination,” subject to the imposition of planning conditions, leading to formal conditional approval.