Fidra Energy has signed a long-term offtake agreement with Drax Group covering 50% of the capacity of its 500 MW/1.1 GWh West Burton C BESS project, located on the site of the former West Burton coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire (United Kingdom) reaching a financial close on the project (Fidra Energy press release, 17/07/2026).
In March 2025, the GBP250m (USD340m) project secured a 15-year Capacity Market agreement from the UK Government, scheduled to start in October 2028. The project should start construction in 2026 and initiate commercial operations in 2028. Sungrow will supply the battery systems, while H&MV Engineering will deliver the 400 kV grid connection and associated electrical infrastructure. The facility is expected to be capable of supplying electricity to around 300,000 homes during periods of peak demand.
The project is in line with the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which targets between 22 and 27 GW of short-duration BESS by 2030. Fidra Energy’s UK BESS portfolio exceeded 4 GW in 2026.