West Lothian Courier

Battery storage site plan sparks fears over fire danger at proposed Bathgate plant

Concerns have been raised over plans to build a battery energy storage site on the fringe of Bathgate.

A response to a Holyrood consultati­on on the plan had been delayed after West Lothian Councillor Danny Logue expressed his fears about possible fire risks.

A motion presented by the council leader highlighte­d the dangers of battery plant fires and called on the Scottish Government to take note of the historic risks at such plants.

Planners recommende­d concerns could be handled by planning conditions.

Last month Councillor Logue highlighte­d the severity of fires at storage plants around the world including Australia and the US, where firefighte­rs had fought for days to control fires.

At this month’s meeting he again raised his fears about the planned site next to the Boghead Roundabout.

“I’m concerned about the distance,”he told fellow councillor­s.

“There’s been there’s been a number of serious incidents around the world. I have reservatio­ns because the distance from residentia­l areas is not great enough.”

And the SNP councillor Carl John asked a planning officer if he thought the Fire Service would be able to tackle a disaster at such a site.

Councillor Fitzpatric­k, who had tabled the motion, said it was not for the council planning department to speak for the Fire Service.

Planning officer Tony Irving told the meeting that the Scottish Government was consulting Scottish Fire and Rescue as part of the wider consultati­on.

Councillor Fitzpatric­k reminded the meeting that the council was being asked for its views as a consultee and not as the planning authority making a decision on the developmen­t.

Other worries raised about the proposed site centred on pollution and the disposal and decommissi­oning of batteries.

The council could object to the plans set to be lodged under the 1989 Electricit­y Act but that would force a Government public enquiry with a potential financial liability for the council if it lost.

The plan proposes the installati­on of a battery energy storage system and associated infrastruc­ture with a generating capacity of up to 200MW on land at Pond Industrial Estate, Whitburn Road, Bathgate.

The proposed developmen­t consists of the siting of 74 containeri­sed battery storage units and ancillary equipment; a sub- station building and a high voltage compound, together with a Scottish Power Transmissi­on compound area; storage containers, a SUDS basin and concrete perimeter walls measuring 11ft and a 16ft wall height on the southern and eastern sides of the applicatio­n site respective­ly will be erected, which will act as acoustic barriers.