Celtic Freeport joins grid program aimed at earlier industrial connections

FTZ News: Celtic Freeport is working with National Grid Electricity Distribution and Net Zero Industry Wales on a program to get industrial customers onto the South Wales network sooner, while the bigger grid upgrades are still being built.

The first job is a battery trial, according to a Sept. 30 report by Transport + Energy. The partners want to see whether batteries run by the network operator can balance supply and demand and free capacity already on the wires. If that works, renewable projects and factories could connect before some of the long-term infrastructure is finished.

They are preparing a memorandum of understanding for the South Wales Industrial Cluster. Limited network capacity there has been a problem for plant expansions and new investment.

The program follows the South Wales Industrial Dialogue. More than 30 industrial organizations sat down with National Grid Electricity Distribution and Net Zero Industry Wales. Those talks produced more than 25 possible measures, mostly about shorter connection times and fuller use of the network already in place.

Ben Burggraaf, chief executive of Net Zero Industry Wales, said quicker access to electricity would matter for new industrial investment. Cathy Hall, interim chief executive of Celtic Freeport, said the Freeport’s Investment Zone status would let it test ways around the power limits on its development sites.

Celtic Freeport takes in the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot, and industrial sites tied to energy and manufacturing in southwest Wales. The report does not say how long the battery trial will run./.

photo: www.abports.co.uk