UK's Drax plans 200-MW battery storage

Drax Group plc (LON:DRX) has outlined intentions to build a large-scale battery storage of 200 MW and repower up to two coal units to gas at Drax power station in North Yorkshire, England.

The company said on Wednesday it has given notice to the Planning Inspectorate of its plans to consult on the options that could result in up to 3.6 GW of new gas generation. The plans are subject to a positive investment decision and would have to be backed by a 15-year capacity market contract, the power generator added. It noted that at the moment, at the start of the planning process, the figures provided are the maximum parameters of the project.

Drax expects to start consultations on the plans with local communities and national stakeholders in the coming weeks. It first said it was considering gas options for the site in June.

The upgrade would increase the ability of the company to provide flexible generation and grid support services that are increasingly needed as the UK shifts to low-carbon generation and removes coal from the grid. Drax has already converted three of the plant's six units to biomass and is exploring converting a fourth unit.

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