Apatura Wins Approval for 560 MW Battery Project Near Clydebank, Scotland

Battery energy storage developer Apatura has received planning consent to construct a 560 MW/1120 MWh grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) near Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. 

The facility, known as the Whitehall project, will be built on a 29-hectare site adjacent to Cochno Road, approximately two miles from Clydebank and eight miles from Glasgow.

In the official decision letter, Scottish ministers described the development as “essential infrastructure,” highlighting its role in adding “flexibility and resilience necessary to maintain secure and reliable supplies of energy” during the ongoing energy transition.

This latest approval marks Apatura’s eleventh successful planning application in just two years, bringing the company’s total permitted storage capacity across central Scotland to over 2.1 GW.

Strategic Location and Grid Connection Plans

The Whitehall project will be strategically connected to the Windyhill substation, just 560 metres from the site, via underground cable. It will also be linked to the Drumchapel substation, located two miles away. 

These connections will allow the facility to efficiently store and dispatch renewable electricity, bolstering the regional and national grid.

Andrew Philpott, Chief Development Officer at Apatura, said the Whitehall project would play a key role in supporting the UK’s energy security strategy and its net-zero goals.

“Battery storage is vital to ensuring a stable, low-carbon energy system,” Philpott stated.

“Whitehall will help stabilise prices, reduce bills, and enable greater independence from fossil fuel imports. Our BESS projects are designed to future-proof the UK’s energy infrastructure while delivering affordable clean energy to homes and businesses.”

Recent Expansion of Apatura’s BESS Portfolio

The Clydebank approval follows Apatura’s recent planning wins for two other battery storage projects — a 100 MW/200 MWh system in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire (approved in May), and a 50 MW/100 MWh project in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire (approved in April).