Denny consultation on plans for battery energy storage in area

Updated plans are being presented to the public for a second time.

UK renewables developer, BOOM Power will show updated plans for their proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) located south of Plean at two consultation events later this month.

It will take place on Wednesday, November 20 in The Denny Centre from 2pm to 5pm then in East Plean Primary School from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

The scheme, formerly known as Gartclush BESS, has been renamed to South Plean BESS following community feedback to more accurately reflect the location of the site and avoid confusion.

It will be located south of Stirling, south-west of Plean and north-west of Torwood at the postcode FK7 8BA. The proposed BESS will cover an area of 64.2 acres and will connect to the Denny North substation, approximately 1km south of the site.

The proposed South Plean facility would consist of battery units which store excess energy from renewable developments and release it into the grid during spikes in demand. This technology reduces the risk of local power outages and leads to cheaper energy prices, to the benefit of all consumers and the wider economy.

The consultation events will provide members of the public with the opportunity to view updated plans informed by various technical studies and consultation with the community. More information regarding the project’s associated community benefit fund will also be available.

The developers say that in addition to providing “reliable grid stability and power management across the central belt,“the project would also deliver significant benefits to the local economy and employment opportunities during construction and maintenance phases of the project”.

They added: “As Scotland transitions towards Net Zero, battery storage projects such as the one being proposed at South Plean will make a significant contribution to meeting the country’s ambitious carbon reduction targets.”

At the consultation events, members of the project team will be available to answer questions about the updated proposals and gather further feedback from members of the local community. Those unable to attend the event will be able to view the consultation boards and provide feedback online from November 20.