Stornoway Community Council has formally objected to plans to build a battery energy storage system near the SSE Power Station in Newton, Stornoway.
The community council says the Newton is “entirely the wrong location” for a scheme of this kind.
Point and Sandwick Development has applied for planning permission to construct a compact battery energy storage facility in Stornoway.
The development would allow island wind turbines to keep generating during any outages
of the subsea cable. It would also reduce emissions pumped out from the neighbouring
diesel-fuelled power station during outages.
The 25 MW plant comprising of six banks of battery units would be sited on vacant land in front of the SSE power station, at what is aptly called The Battery.
While such battery systems rarely go on fire, the consequences are “potentially catastrophic” when they do and there is “simply no margin for error” at the location if something goes wrong warns Stornoway Community Council.
Community councillor Ian Minty stated: “I support an outright objection on the grounds that the proposed site is just too close to housing, and that any fire risk not only endangers the inhabitants of Newton and SeaView, but also has the capacity to cut off the Coastguard HQ and the industrial activity on Goat Island.
“I am not opposed to battery storage facilities but this is just the wrong place for it.”
Stornoway Community Council secretary Mike Macleod said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but only after considerable discussion.
“We are not opposed to progress or economic development. However, on the balance of the evidence, there were simply too many risks with this project.”
‘Too many risks’ with energy storage battery project says community council
8 October 2024