NatPower UK has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening request to Harborough District Council for a proposed 1GW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Leicestershire. The Swinford Energy Park, planned for a 197-acre site at Lambcote Hill Farm in Walcote, would be co-located with a 400kV transmission substation, connecting to existing overhead power lines.
The site, currently arable land, already hosts two wind turbines from the Swinford Wind Farm. The project aims to store excess electricity during low-demand periods and release it when demand peaks. NatPower has indicated that integrating the facility with the existing wind farm and a consented solar farm could create a combined generation and storage hub, supporting the UK’s net-zero targets.