Blackhillock Electricity Substation (300 MW battery storage)
Blackhillock Electricity Substation is a 300 MW battery storage project in Moray, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: under construction since 1 February 2023; the record was last updated on 28 September 2021. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 23 December 2021 | Application submitted |
| 28 February 2022 | Section 36 consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
| 1 February 2023 | Construction started |
Project details
- Technology
- battery storage (stand-alone storage)
- Capacity
- 300 MW
- Status (REPD)
- under construction
- Record last updated
- 28 September 2021
- Operator or applicant
- Zenobe Energy Limited
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00003404
- Address (REPD)
- 400m SE/O Blackhillock Electricity Substation, Keith
- Council area (by location)
- Moray
- Time to decision
- 10 weeks
- Name in REPD
- Blackhillock Electricity Substation - Battery Energy Storage System
- REPD reference
- 9723
Who decides
As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36. Scottish Government (S36) refused 18% of 334 decided solar, wind and battery applications in REPD (median 127 weeks to a decision). Across all UK planning authorities 19% of 10,236 decided applications were refused.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aultmore Forest - Buckie - Windfarm | wind farm | 106 | application submitted | 0.8 |
| Aultmore Forest - Buckie - Windfarm | battery storage | 50 | application submitted | 0.8 |
| Edintore Wind Farm | wind farm | 18 | operational | 1.7 |
| Electricity Substation, Westerton Road | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.6 |
| Gibson Farm, Blackhillock | battery storage | 349 | approved, not built | 2.7 |
| Drum Farm | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.9 |
| Bodinfinnoch Wind Farm | wind farm | 13.8 | refused on appeal | 3.9 |
| Cairnborrow | wind farm | 10 | operational | 6.7 |
Status and dates as recorded in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract); the database is compiled from public sources and can lag behind council decisions. Location: REPD grid reference (57.5184, -2.9475).