NatPower UK has signed an agreement with Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited, part of Sembcorp Energy UK, to build a 1GW/8GWh battery energy storage system at Wilton International in Redcar.
The £1bn privately financed investment, called the Teesside GigaPark, will be among the UK’s largest long-duration storage projects and the first to combine grid-scale batteries with maritime electrification.
The system will initially operate with four hours of storage (4GWh) and could expand to eight hours (8GWh). NatPower has a 400kV, 1GW grid connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator and aims to connect the site to the grid by 2028. The infrastructure will also be designed to supply ships with shore power and recharge future electric propulsion systems.
According to NatPower, the project is intended to reduce curtailment of renewable electricity, which currently costs the UK up to £3.5bn a year, and provide clean power for energy-intensive industries. It is also expected to create about 200 jobs during construction, long-term operational roles, and contribute £2m annually to a community benefit fund.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Energy storage is a pillar of a clean power system – helping to protect homes and businesses from future energy price shocks by stocking up on homegrown renewable energy at times of high generation to release it when needed, instead of relying on fossil fuels. It is projects like this that will help us to decarbonise our industries – as clean energy will be used to charge ships in one of Europe's biggest ports, helping to cut emissions, create skilled jobs and boost local investment.”
NatPower UK CEO Stefano D.M. Sommadossi described the Teesside site as “the blueprint for how we combine high-capacity renewable energy storage with the electrification of ports and industry.”
Mike Patrick, CEO of Sembcorp Energy UK, said Wilton International’s grid infrastructure “offers the ideal platform for scaling long-duration battery storage and supporting maritime electrification.”
NatPower UK is part of NatPower Group, a multinational energy transition developer headquartered in the UK with operations in several countries, including the United States, Italy, and Kazakhstan. The group reports a development portfolio of around 30 GW of renewable and transition projects and focuses on large-scale energy infrastructure integrating clean generation, storage, and demand.
Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Energy UK, which operates as part of Sembcorp Industries, a Singapore-based energy and urban solutions company listed on the Singapore Exchange. Its UK arm manages energy and utilities infrastructure, including operations at the Wilton International site in Teesside.
National Energy System Operator (formerly part of National Grid, now an independent public corporation) is responsible for balancing electricity supply and demand across Great Britain, managing grid connections, and integrating renewable generation.