A leading civil engineering firm is to start work on one of the UK’s largest battery storage projects in Uskmouth.

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is working with Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners and E.ON on the multi-million-pound project at Uskmouth, in South Wales.

The 230MW battery energy storage system (BESS) initiative is expected to go live in early 2025.

It will play a significant part in helping the UK meet its goal of zero net emissions by 2050 by enabling the decarbonisation of all sectors of the economy.

Jones Bros has completed the enabling work at the site of the former coal-fired power station, and has started to build the main platform.

To ensure the platform was above the flood plain, around 74,000m3 of aggregate was imported by rail.

The platform includes four impermeable cells, designed to capture water and channel it to an attenuation pond.

The team is now focusing on laying the foundations for the battery and power conversion systems (PCS) units, substations, and transformers. They will be using a fly ash tunnel that is part of the existing infrastructure to house cables and electrical components.

Under the ecological enhancement plan, landscaping will be carried out to make the site more appealing to wildlife, including otters and water voles. There will also be a sustainable energy park and new fencing.

Contacts manager Rhys Roberts – leading a 20-strong team, including two apprentices – said: "It’s a fantastic scheme to be a part of as the country’s energy transition gathers speed.

"Helping turn a former coal-fired power station site into one that will play a significant role in supporting sources of renewable energy is wonderful for us as a company."

Utilising existing infrastructure - grid connection, water supplies, and railway access - has been beneficial in minimising the project’s environmental impact.

It is expected that the project will reduce road transportation by 230,000 miles.

Mr Roberts added: "We are always eager to minimise impact on the local area, so being able to utilise aspects like the railway for the aggregate and transporting the 20ft containers full of battery units to site is great."

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros operates one of the largest plant fleets in the UK.

The company, currently engaged in various projects across the country in sectors including highways, waste management and renewable energy, has around 500 employees.

It also runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, from which nearly 40 per cent of its current workforce is drawn. Many of its senior managers started out as apprentices or trainees.