Site safety measures help limit spread of fire at 600 MWh BESS in England – updated

A fire at an under-construction, utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) close to London in Thurrock, Essex, was safely brought under control on February 20.

Firefighters from Orsett, Corringham and Basildon were called on February 19 to the fire in East Tilbury. They used specialist equipment, including thermal imaging cameras and drones, to monitor temperatures and manage the fire in a controlled manner, and water to prevent heat transfer. The crews handed the scene over to the site management on the next day.

“Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have worked tirelessly to contain the fire, prevent further risks, and ensure the safety of the site and surrounding area,” area manager Dan Partridge said. He noted that the scale back was facilitated by the safety measures already implemented at the site.

“The response was supported by the site’s safety measures, including a reliable local fire water supply and appropriate spacing between battery units, which helped limit the spread of the fire. I would like to thank everyone involved in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion,” Partridge said.

The exact cause of the incident is unknown at this point. Fire officers will carry out an investigation with the site owners and equipment suppliers when it is safe to do so.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service confirmed for ESS News the postcode of the site and the site owner as Statera Energy. The available information points to the Thurrock Flexible Generation site, which features one of the largest BESS projects under development in the U.K.

The project collocates a 300 MW/600 MWh BESS with a 450 MW gas-fired power plant. Announcing its financial close in November 2024, Statera Energy said that the Thurrock Flexible Generation project is expected to energize its BESS by the end of 2024. With construction still ongoing, the project is running behind schedule and is likely to be delayed even further due to the safety incident.

In response to the ESS News inquiry, Statera issued the following statement on Tuesday:

“At approximately 4PM on Wednesday, a fire occurred in a single containerised battery unit at Statera Energy’s Thurrock BESS site, which is currently under construction.  The site is not yet operational. The site was promptly evacuated, and the Fire Brigade arrived on the scene within 10 minutes.

The fire was swiftly contained by implementing a water curtain, and it was safely extinguished by Thursday afternoon. There was no risk to the public at any stage, the Fire Brigade has concluded its response, and the site has been open for construction activities since Friday.

The strategic safety planning of the site, which was designed and built in full compliance with NFPA standards, including the provision of both fire hydrants and a water lagoon, as well as adequate spacing between BESS units and includes a pre-agreed emergency response plan with the local fire brigade, all contributed to a safe and efficient resolution of the incident.

A thorough investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire and implement measures to mitigate any risk of future occurrences. We are grateful to the emergency services who acted swiftly to contain the incident in close collaboration with the local council and our personnel.”

The project owner didn’t want to disclose the name of its technology partner on the project that supplied the BESS containers.

*This article was updated on February 25 to include the statement from Statera.