Project
Sundon Storage
Sundon, Bedfordshire
Strategically located adjacent to National Grid’s Sundon substation in Central Bedfordshire, Sundon Storage will strengthen the resilience of the UK’s electricity network. Providing large‑scale, flexible storage in an area of high network demand, the project will support the integration of renewable energy and help balance the growing volumes of intermittent wind and solar generation.
The facility will store electricity when renewable generation is high and export it back to the grid when demand increases, responding instantly without the start‑up delays associated with conventional generation. This rapid balancing capability is increasingly important to maintaining system stability, reducing renewable curtailment and ensuring secure, affordable power for consumers.
Of the 30‑hectare site, only around 11 hectares will be used for operational infrastructure, with the remainder dedicated to public open space, woodland, wetland and wildflower grassland. The project is expected to deliver significant biodiversity net gain and improved public access.
Services
Balancing Mechanism
This is to respond to events including power station trips, demand surges and intermittent renewable generation. Flexible technologies such as batteries and gas reciprocating engines are well placed to provide real-time flexibility in the BM to help.
Capacity Market
Two auctions are held yearly to disburse capacity contracts 1 and 4 years ahead of delivery for keeping generation capacity ready for response.
Providers are paid an availability payment for being connected. New build generators can apply for a 15-year contract in the T-4 auction while existing generators or those able to reduce demand can apply for a one-year contract in the T-1 auction. To ensure delivery, there are stringent rules to prequalify and meet the various milestones required to participate in the Capacity Market.
All of Statera’s assets are designed to deliver this reserve service to National Grid.
Frequency response
Providers are awarded an availability payment at different contract durations. Fast-responding technologies such as batteries are best suited to provide services in real time.
Dynamic Containment (DC), Dynamic Moderation (DM) and Dynamic Regulation (DR): A new suite of products used by National Grid. It is a fast-acting service (DC for post-fault management and DM&DR for pre-fault) to ensure frequency remains within the statutory range of +/-0.5Hz in the event of sudden demand drop or supply surge on the grid.
Firm Frequency Response (FFR): FFR is a real-time continuous frequency balancing service, managing system frequency deviations on a minute-by-minute basis.
Wholesale power markets
The Wholesale Market is the primary market for wholesale electricity trading between generators and suppliers. Electricity can be traded from years ahead up to one hour ahead of the delivery. Flexible technologies such as batteries and gas reciprocating engines are mainly targeting short-term trading by providing real-time flexibility to help balance the system. Therefore, they trade mainly in day-ahead to intraday markets.
Day-ahead hourly, half-hourly and intraday auctions
Within-day power markets on the intraday exchange
