Welkin Mill
Stockport
Greater Manchester
35 MW
Completed 2024
Welkin Mill is a 35 MW (70MWh) utility-scale BESS, developed and delivered by Noriker in partnership with Equinor. The project is located in a built up industrial area on the outskirts of Stockport and connects to the nearby Vernon Park substation, operated by Electricity North West Limited (ENWL). The site is capable of supplying clean energy to over 8,000 homes annually and reached commercial operation in January 2024.
Noriker managed the project from early-stage development through to commercial operations and now have oversight of the O&M services on behalf of the Asset Owner (Equinor). Services offered by Noriker ranged from securing planning approvals, managing environmental assessments, overseeing the grid connection process (DNO / IDNO), management of the EPC (Grupotec) and supporting integration with the Asset Optimiser.
Cable routing challenges
A major project challenge was installing the 33kV cable between the BESS and DNO substation. The complex cable route crossed
local highways, council land and National Grid property, requiring consents such as wayleaves, easements and road closures
to be agreed. With support from Noriker's in-house legal team and with careful project management, risks were identified,
reported to stakeholders and mitigated as part of the EPC-M service offering.
Regular project reporting and accurate cost control by Noriker ensured the Asset Owner remained up to date with the programme
of works, enabling accurate financial forecasting for when the project entered commercial operations.
Project design
With a very constrained plot, which included overhead power lines, a high pressure gas pipe and an underground culvert, the design layout was of paramount importance. This pushed Noriker's engineering team to use the available land in the most efficient manner possible whilst still meeting all the necessary technical operating requirements, safety guidance and planning conditions set by Stockport Borough Council. Notably, these included supporting the local football team to ensure matches weren't disrupted and the 'infamous' ball stop net prevented any stray volleys ending up in the site, encouraging additional wildlife by improving the overall biodiversity with a dedicated wildflower meadow and reducing the noise and visual impact where possible through optimal equipment choices and smart design.
Delivery of this 35MW BESS project highlighted the true depth of Noriker's skill set, from dealing with multiple stakeholders to resolving technical engineering issues and finally delivering a commercially operational site to the Asset Owner within budget.
With Noriker's ongoing O&M support, Welkin Mill continues to deliver on its performance requirements and will help to support the grid towards a greener future.