Eku Energy secures £45m for Ocker Hill battery storage project in UK

Energy storage solutions provider Eku Energy has obtained debt financing exceeding £45m for the construction of a new 99MW/198 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) at Ocker Hill in the UK.

The financing has been provided by NatWest Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC).

Alongside the project-specific financing for Ocker Hill, SMBC and NatWest have also extended an uncommitted accordion facility amounting to £100m.

This facility is intended to bolster Eku Energy’s upcoming projects in the UK, including those arising from the recent acquisition of the Bluestone Energy BESS portfolio.

On 14 April 2025, Eku Energy disclosed its acquisition of Bluestone Energy’s portfolio, which encompasses seven planned BESS projects with a combined capacity of 1GW/two gigawatt-hours.

These initiatives are expected to further enhance Eku Energy’s presence in the energy storage landscape, the company said.

The Ocker Hill BESS project is positioned between the towns of Dudley and Wednesbury in the West Midlands.

The location is near the site of the former Ocker Hill coal-fired power station, which operated for more than 80 years before its closure in 1977 and subsequent demolition in 1985.

Construction of the Ocker Hill BESS is scheduled to begin next month, with commissioning scheduled for late 2026.

This venture represents Eku Energy’s fourth energy storage project in the UK that is either operational or in the construction phase.

The Ocker Hill BESS project will feature 54 Tesla Megapacks, with H&MV Engineering selected as the balance of plant contractor.

H&MV Engineering was chosen due to its high-quality design expertise and established experience in executing BESS projects utilising Tesla’s technology.

Eku Energy CTO Elias Saba said: “40 years after the demolition of the original coal-fired power station at Ocker Hill, the nearby Ocker Hill BESS will be providing energy and grid services.

“With Ocker Hill BESS and its innovative long-term offtake from Smartest Energy, we further enable the energy transition and uptake of renewable energy.”

SmartestEnergy, a fully owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation, will serve as the tolling provider under a decade-long agreement for the Ocker Hill project.

Eku Energy CEO Daniel Burrows said: “Eku Energy’s growing portfolio in the UK reflects our commitment to deliver safe, secure and reliable energy storage solutions that will provide cost-effective clean energy.

“By securing strong financial backing from NatWest Bank and SMBC for the Ocker Hill BESS and partnering with Tesla and SmartestEnergy, we are continuing to expand our role in building a more flexible and resilient energy system for the UK.”

In November last year, Eku Energy reached financial close for the Williamsdale BESS project in Canberra, Australia.