A new battery storage facility on the outskirts of Norwich could supply the city with electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers if given the go ahead.
Plans have been submitted to South Norfolk Council for a 49.9MW battery storage facility on land owned by the National Grid next to an existing substation on the A140 at Dunston.
The plans would see 25 battery units put onto the site capable of storing electricity from the adjacent substation.
The batteries will connect to the National Grid with no new cables being laid outside of the site.
In the documents submitted to South Norfolk Council the National Grid explains the plans should allow Norwich to sustain fast charging points for EVs.
It says: 'Each selected battery site is located close to major roads and/or towns where it will be possible to assist councils to realise their EV charging strategies and improve air quality through the creation of a network of low-cost, rapid charging stations.
'A battery facility located at Norwich 400kV substation will enable in excess of 50MW of power to be made available for EV charging infrastructure and other projects within a reasonable distance of the substation.
'This will potentially allow a significant number of fast chargers to be made available on major roads close to Norwich as well as an almost unlimited number of 'destination chargers' in the surrounding area.'
The plans have been submitted by the National Grid working with Pivot Power, a national company looking to 'future proof' the grid as electricity demands change.
They say the A140 and A47 are the 'important gateways' for motorists heading to and from Norwich.
It says that this storage station would allow for the roads to be able to support EV infrastructure in the near future.
Earlier this year the government announced plans make it easier to recharge electric vehicles than to refuel petrol or diesel ones. They want to see the installation of hundreds of thousands more charge points in an attempt to encourage more motorists to opt for the low-emission option.
The storage batteries will be surrounded by a 2.75m security fence and will be fitted with CCTV.
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