Eelpower Energy Acquires 200MWh UK Energy Storage Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, Eelpower Energy completed the acquisition of the Silkstead battery energy storage project from Balanced Grid Works. This marks the fifth energy storage asset acquisition by Eelpower Energy since its establishment in September 2025. Located near Winchester, England, the Silkstead project is planned with a power capacity of 50MW and an energy storage capacity of 200MWh, with construction scheduled to commence in 2027 and commercial operation targeted for 2028.

The Silkstead project is situated in the Silkstead Farm and Poles Lane area. According to planning documents from Winchester City Council, the project corresponds to planning application reference 24/01007/FUL and includes the construction of 34 battery containers, 17 inverter/transformer units, and 1 point of connection substation, along with auxiliary power supply rooms, communication facilities, customer switchgear, internal roads, and distribution network operator access roads. The energy storage facility is planned for an operational lifespan of 30 years.

The project is intended to connect to the grid via underground cables, with planning documents indicating that the grid connection point is approximately 2 kilometers from the site. Under the design revised between 2024 and 2025, the minimum spacing between battery units has been set at 3 meters, with the addition of a second vehicle access point and fire access route; a 10-meter hardstanding area surrounds the battery facility, and the designs for stormwater attenuation facilities and firefighting wastewater treatment have been adjusted accordingly.

The Winchester City Council Planning Committee reviewed the Silkstead project on March 12, 2025, and agreed to grant planning permission subject to relevant conditions. The permission covers the battery energy storage facility, associated infrastructure, access roads, and ecological enhancement works, with additional conditions imposed regarding nighttime noise control. Following the completion of this asset acquisition, the next defined engineering milestone for the project is the commencement of construction in 2027.

Eelpower Energy is currently backed by Equitix, Aware Super, and the UK National Wealth Fund. The three parties established a £500 million UK battery energy storage investment platform in 2025, with the UK National Wealth Fund committing up to £200 million in equity capital, Aware Super investing up to £250 million, and Equitix committing £44.8 million through the Electricity Storage Fund. The platform plans to develop, own, and operate over 1GW of grid-scale battery energy storage assets in the UK.

Eelpower Energy currently has 4 additional projects totaling 500MWh of storage capacity under construction and plans to make final investment decisions on a further 1.5GWh of projects by the end of 2026. In May, the company also acquired the 50MW/100MWh Stoneworthy energy storage project in Devon, England, which is likewise scheduled to commence construction in 2027 and achieve commercial operation in 2028.