29 August 2025
Plans for a £1 billion investment in a huge new battery energy storage project at Wilton International have been welcomed as another major vote of confidence in Teesside’s industrial future.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) store excess energy from renewable sources to be used when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. This allows a consistent supply, stabilising the power grid and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Private investors NatPower UK have secured agreement for a 32-acre site at Wilton International to develop the Teesside Gigapark – a 1GW battery energy storage system that will help store renewable electricity and supply power when it is needed most. The privately funded project is expected to create around 200 construction jobs, support long-term skilled employment, and strengthen Teesside’s position at the heart of Britain’s clean energy economy.
Luke Myer MP welcomed the announcement, saying battery storage would play an increasingly important role alongside carbon capture, hydrogen, offshore wind and clean manufacturing in securing Teesside’s industrial future.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first phase aiming to connect to the National Grid by 2028. Once operational, the Gigapark will help balance Britain’s electricity network by storing surplus renewable energy and releasing it during periods of high demand, while also supporting future plans to electrify shipping at Teesport, powering ships at berth with the potential to recharge electric propulsion systems.
Labour Government 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.”
CEO of NatPower UK, Stefano Sommadossi, said:
“Teesside, our most advanced GigaPark, located at Wilton International, will be the blueprint for how we combine high-capacity renewable energy storage with the electrification of ports and industry. Within five years, we can transform one of the UK’s most important industrial hubs into a net-zero economic powerhouse and then replicate this model in ports across the globe.”
Luke Myer MP said:
“This is another major investment that shows companies see Teesside as one of the best places in the country to build the industries of the future. Alongside our strengths in steel, chemicals, offshore wind, carbon capture and hydrogen, large-scale energy storage will help ensure local industry has the reliable power it needs to grow. Most importantly, this is about bringing skilled jobs, investment and long-term opportunities to local people.”
Anna Turley MP said:
“This groundbreaking development will create hundreds of jobs, boost our local economy, and play a pivotal role in the UK’s transition to green energy. It’s a major opportunity for Redcar and Cleveland, and I’m fully backing it for the long-term benefits it will bring to our community and the wider Tees Valley.”
Next steps for the development will include securing planning permission from Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, which should be able to progress within the year by granting a Lawful Development Certificate.