Kilmarnock Battery Energy Storage System (500 MW)
Kilmarnock Battery Energy Storage System is a 500 MW battery storage project in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 7 April 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 15 June 2026. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 28 September 2023 | Application submitted |
| 7 April 2025 | Section 36 consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
| 7 April 2028 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- battery storage (stand-alone storage)
- Capacity
- 500 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 15 June 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Matrix Renewables
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00004941
- Address (REPD)
- 250 metres (m) to the north of the existing Kilmarnock South Substation
- Council area (by location)
- East Ayrshire
- Time to decision
- 80 weeks
- REPD reference
- 15176
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilmarnock South Substation | battery storage | 300 | operational | 2.0 |
| Camsiscan Farm, Craigie | battery storage | 350 | approved, not built | 2.0 |
| Inchbean Farm, Treeswoodhead Road | battery storage | 60 | approved, not built | 2.7 |
| Holmquarry Road | battery storage | 60.4 | approved, not built | 4.9 |
| Alton Muirhouse Farm | wind farm | 6.8 | refused on appeal | 8.1 |
| Cowans Law | wind farm | 49.9 | refused | 8.3 |
| Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm | wind farm | 45 | under construction | 8.3 |
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 (55.5721, -4.438).