Designing resilient grid infrastructure under real-world constraints
DACI Utilities Engineering Consultancy was appointed to undertake the civil design associated with a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System at Sundon, off Water End Lane, Luton.
DACI Utilities Engineering Consultancy was appointed to undertake the civil design associated with a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System at Sundon, off Water End Lane, Luton. The site occupies open, undeveloped land immediately adjacent to the existing Sundon Substation.
DACI delivered several civil design packages, covering earthworks, drainage, access and hard standing through to individual foundation design for every item of plant in the compound — carried from first draft through client approval to Issued For Construction.
An undeveloped site required the full civil, foundation and coordination solution to be designed from first principles alongside live, operational substation infrastructure.
DACI delivered a single coordinated package rather than a series of isolated designs, opening with a civil strategy report that set the site wide approach to earthworks, drainage and formation before individual foundations were developed.
A proposed 3D federated model brought the civil, structural and equipment layouts together, allowing clashes to be identified and resolved at design stage rather than on site.
Earthworks, drainage, roads and the civil strategy report carried from first draft to Issued For Construction. The project is live, with the remaining foundation packages approved.
Sundon adds 50 MW of flexible storage capacity to the UK electricity system, supporting network stability and enabling integration of intermittent renewable generation. The scheme demonstrates efficient land use beside existing grid infrastructure, concentrating new development where capacity is already established.
This project exemplifies how utility-scale BESS facilities can be engineered to deliver both renewable integration and system flexibility critical to achieving UK net-zero objectives.
Sundon demonstrates DACI's capability to deliver a complete civil scope for grid-scale BESS packages, from site formation strategy through individual plant foundations, coordinated in 3D and released for construction within a compressed program.
DACI Utilities Engineering Consultancy delivered the civil and structural design for the 132 kV substation serving a combined solar and battery storage development at Long Pasture, near Darlington, County Durham.
DACI Utilities Engineering Consultancy delivered the civil and structural design for the substation serving a solar farm at West House Farm, near Trimdon, County Durham.
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