WREXHAM: Council leader opposes battery storage facility

The authority’s planning committee consented to minor changes for the proposed facility near the National Grid substation off the B5426 Bronwylfa Road in Talwrn.

Applicants, electricity company Hd639Leg Limited, had initially been granted permission for the facility in 2021.

Speaking on their behalf at the meeting, planning agent Phil Roden said the application was for minor alterations, reducing the scale and number of batteries at the site.

He said: “The design changes are proposed for operational and safety reasons due to improvement in battery storage technology, international safety standards and changes to battery chemistry that minimises the risk of fire.

“This project is all about energy security, increasing the deployment of renewable energy generation and reducing energy costs for consumers.”

He added it would help towards the Welsh Government’s Net Zero by 2050 target and ensure electricity is available when needed.

Mr Roden added: “The Legacy substation is a strategically important part of the National Grid transmission network that has the capacity to accommodate a grid scale energy storage project.”

But speaking as the adjoining ward member and community councillor, Esclusham Cllr Mark Pritchard (Ind), was fiercely against the plans, claiming there were huge risks of fires and explosions at such facilities.

He argued that the site being outside of the settlement limit in a special landscape area should lead to the plans being refused.

“There have been numerous explosions around the world at these sites”, the council leader said.

“Scientists and environmentalists have raised serious concern about explosions, fires and consequences which will result in poisonous run-offs into water courses.

“I’m fully supportive of green energy across the country and the world but this form of development has serious detrimental consequences with regards to biodiversity and ecology.

“There is an issue here that these battery storage facilities are being rolled-out at a lightning speed without checks and balances being put in place.

“These sites are often located in dangerous locations including on the banks of rivers, schools and hospitals.

“Fire services up and down the country and across the world are asking questions and national fire chiefs have expressed deep concerns about the hazards these sites propose.”

Cllr Mark Pritchard (Image: Wrexham Council webcast)

Cllr Pritchard said fires could “take days and gallons of water to put out”, and that concerns had been raised by local politicians such as Ken Skates MS, Sam Rowlands MS and Simon Baynes MP.

He added: “These (developments) should be scrutinised, they should be licenced and permits put in place.

“We should not just be granting planning permission when we don’t know what’s in front of us and I believe that’s the case here today.”

Cllr Pritchard added that he was “staggered” there had been no consultation with the fire service and claimed that “on the balance of probability there will be fires in these battery storage facilities”.

“This is not me sitting in front of you here today making it up, it’s fact, it’s out there, I can send you the links”, he said.

“It’s new technology being rolled-out, we need to manage the risks and we need to understand it.”

But planning officer Matthew Phillips said previous site history was irrelevant due to the current permission the applicants already had, and that these plans reduced the number of batteries at the site from 52 double-stacked to 30 single-stacked batteries, with more spacing between them.

Mr Phillips added that such developments would become more common with increased demand for renewable energy. The site is 300 metres away from the nearest properties and fire risk is dealt with by separate legislation, but fire suppression and monitoring equipment would be in place.

“The risk is probably less than it was previously”, Mr Phillips said.

Ruabon Cllr Dana Davies (Lab) echoed some of Cllr Pritchard’s concerns about the narrow lanes surrounding the area and sought reassurance about the construction management around the site.

READ MORE; Bungalows plan for Eyton could ease school parking

Mr Phillips told councillors much of the infrastructure is already in place.

Planning agent Mr Roden was invited back to explain that a short cable connects to the existing substation, and that all equipment is on site.

Glyn Ceiriog Cllr Trevor Bates (Ind) said he also had concerns about fires and suggested a site visit but this was not supported.

Cllr Davies felt that the revised application posed less risk than the original which already had permission, so proposed following the recommendations to approve it.

This was supported by Chirk North Cllr Frank Hemmings (Lab) who seemed sceptical about some of the previous claims made in the meeting.

He said: “I’m not aware of any news reports of battery stations of this type bursting into flames in the UK and I assume there’s lots of safety standards.

“Based on the fact that the community council hasn’t objected, and the local member hasn’t objected I don’t see why we shouldn’t allow this to go through.”

The committee granted approval to the plans.