Statera Energy has secured planning permission for its Sundon Storage project after a positive decision by Central Bedfordshire’s planning committee.
The planned 500MW battery energy storage system will be built to the south west of the existing Sundon National Grid substation. Statera is also seeking to progress the project through Ofgem’s Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) cap-and-floor scheme.
If Sundon is successful in the LDES process, Statera says it would be deployed as a minimum eight-hour system – allowing it to store electricity when generation is plentiful and discharge it back to the grid during tighter periods, supporting system balancing and security of supply.
Oliver Troup, Development Lead at Statera Energy, noted, “Securing planning for Sundon is a significant milestone for the project and reflects the extensive work undertaken with local stakeholders and the planning authority. Sundon is particularly exciting as it can store energy for a minimum of 8-hours and is part of Ofgem’s LDES allocation scheme. Large-scale battery storage like this helps manage variability in generation and demand, and we’re proud to be progressing another project that supports the UK’s energy transition.”
What the Sundon scheme would deliver
Statera said the 500MW site, once operational, would be capable of storing and delivering enough electricity to power the equivalent of 540,000 homes. The developer has framed it as a long-duration battery, which would put it among the larger storage projects currently moving through planning and market support processes in the UK.
It is worth noting that ‘homes powered’ equivalence figures can vary depending on assumptions about consumption and duration. The operational value to the electricity system is ultimately flexibility: the ability to soak up surplus generation, respond quickly to system needs, and provide sustained discharge when supply is tight – particularly valuable as the grid takes on more intermittent wind and solar.
Sundon’s proximity to existing transmission infrastructure will also catch the eye of an industry that is increasingly constrained by connection availability. Across the market, developers continue to grapple with long queue times and the need for network reinforcement, which can dictate real-world delivery timelines even after a project has planning consent.
Environmental plans and delivery timeline
Alongside grid services, Statera’s plans include environmental measures. The developer said the project spans 30 hectares and is intended to deliver biodiversity net gain through habitat creation, as well as green space and walking routes for the local community.
Statera expects construction to begin later this decade, with Sundon Storage fully operational by 2030.
The approval also adds to Statera’s wider storage pipeline. The company said the Sundon decision takes its consented storage and flexibility projects to more than 5GW – a sizeable portfolio on paper, although, as with much of the sector, the pace of build-out will hinge on grid works, procurement, and the outcome of Ofgem’s LDES cap-and-floor assessments.
