Masdar Begins Commercial Operations at Second UK Battery Storage Project
Faizan Hashmi
Published August 24, 2026 | 02:00 PM
LONDON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Aug, 2026)
Abu Dhabi
Future Energy Company
PJSC – Masdar, a global clean energy leader, has strengthened its commitment to UK energy security with its second battery energy storage system (BESS) project in the country starting commercial operations. The opening of the facility in Rochdale is the latest milestone in Masdar’s planned £1 billion investment program in BESS projects in the UK.
The 35-megawatt (MW)/70-megawatt-hours (MWh) Rochdale plant will provide enough clean power for 35,000 homes per day, based upon two charging and discharging cycles per day. The facility will also provide critical grid balancing services, responding to fluctuations in supply and demand within milliseconds to help maintain a secure and reliable electricity network.
Following its acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022, Masdar committed to developing a 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) pipeline of BESS projects in the UK, one of the largest in the country. The portfolio will play a vital role in supporting the integration of renewables into the country’s energy mix and enhancing grid stability, to lower consumer bills.
This investment is aligned with the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which is targeting building up to 27GW of battery storage by the end of this decade.
Husain Al Meer, Executive Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK, Masdar said, “Beginning commercial operations at our Rochdale facility is a key milestone in our £1 billion commitment to UK battery storage. As electricity demand grows and renewable generation continues to expand, battery storage is becoming an increasingly vital component of maintaining a secure, reliable and affordable electricity network.”
“Our continuing rollout of our £1 billion pipeline reflects Masdar's long-term commitment to the UK, and we are proud to be supporting the country's energy security by delivering the flexible infrastructure needed to enable greater renewable energy deployment.”
The Rochdale project follows Masdar’s 20MW/40MWh Welkin Road project in Stockport beginning commercial operations last December. The company is also currently developing projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff, which will have a combined capacity of 150MW/300MWh. Project financing for the four projects was successfully completed last month, with Masdar securing up to £97 million from SMBC and ING.
BESS solutions are critical to integrating renewables into modern electricity networks, providing flexible energy to the grid by storing energy in periods of low demand and releasing it at peak times. This flexibility enhances grid stability and energy security, supports the integration of renewable energy, and contributes to lowering consumer bills and carbon emissions.
Built to international standards of safety and security, Masdar’s BESS projects will play a significant role in shaping the UK's future energy landscape.