Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing large-scale battery storage within the Port of Southampton area.

This Government recognises that batteries have a key role to play in decarbonising the power sector by 2030 by balancing the electricity system and facilitating the integration of renewable power.

The Government does not intend to commission an assessment of storage in this specific area. To ensure that we develop the right strategic mix of energy infrastructure in the appropriate locations, the government has commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across Great Britain.