Technical assurance for major portfolio of BESS projects in the UK

Challenge

A leading renewable energy and storage developer approached Ricardo after experiencing quality control issues with their Independent Connection Provider (ICP) contractor, resulting in significant delays with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) design approval process. This meant the developer was at risk of not meeting their Capacity Market agreement timescales for energisation.

Subsequently Ricardo was appointed to act as the client’s independent consultant to coordinate the design process and act as an intermediary between the ICP and the DNO.

Approach

The project included installing a total cumulated capacity of approximately 200MW across four sites, including but not limited to, battery containers, substation compounds with 132 kV grid transformers, cabling and associated civil engineering work.

Our support included:

• Reviewing design submissions: Ricardo carried out a detailed review of all design documents produced by the ICP contractor, ensuring consistency with both DNO requirements and current industry standards. This approach ensured that there were no major technical gaps which could otherwise have impeded the DNOs approval of the documents, thus impacting the successful and timely completion of the project.
• Liaising with the DNO: Ricardo supported the communication with the DNO, enabling quicker clarification of requirements and resolution of queries. By facilitating this dialogue, we were able to streamline the approval process and ensure design compliance with grid connection standards.
• Overseeing quality control: A structured quality assurance framework was implemented to verify that engineering deliverables met agreed specifications. This included checks against statutory regulations, equipment manufacturer guidelines, and safety standards, providing assurance to the client that the project was being developed to the required level of robustness.
• Coordinating the Design Tracker: Ricardo introduced and managed a design tracker to provide full visibility of latest revision of documents, submission status, outstanding actions, and approval timelines. This tool improved accountability across all stakeholders and ensured that deadlines were actively monitored and achieved.
• Reviewing document control: Robust document management procedures were enforced to maintain version control, traceability, and secure storage of engineering documents. This reduced the risk of outdated or conflicting information being circulated, supporting both compliance and efficiency.
• Progress meetings: Regular progress meetings were facilitated to bring together the client, ICP, DNO and equipment suppliers. These sessions created a collaborative forum to resolve technical issues, align priorities across parties, and keep the project on track against critical milestones.

Benefits

On joining the project, it was clear that the delays were compounding, starting to threaten the schedule and the clients’ ability to place the assets into commercial operation. This meant the developer was at risk of not meeting NESO’s energisation date to enter the Capacity Market.

After being appointed as technical assurance advisor, Ricardo played an active role in bringing the project back on track and efficiently assisted the developer attain its major milestones in line with their commercial contracts. Without Ricardo’s support, it is likely the programme of works would have been further delayed, exacerbating the problem and resulting in greater project costs, which would have had a negative impact on the projects long-term viability.