Britishvolt £2.6bn battery gigaplant planned for 2023 launch

By Tom Seymour

15 December 2020

Britishvolt's new UK battery gigaplant will start production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries from 2023 and will scale to 300,000 units a year.

Global construction specialist ISG has been appointed to lead the build of the £2.6 billion project located at Blyth, Northermberland.

Construction will start in the second half of 2021 and once the plant is up and running it will produce lithium-ion batteries for the automotive and renewable energy industries at the end of 2023.

Construction of further phases will continue until the end of 2027.

The Blyth gigaplant is located 20 miles north of Nissan's Sunderland factory, which makes the Leaf EV.

Orral Nadjari, Britishvolt chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to have engaged ISG as the construction partner for our Blyth gigaplant.

“Its long expertise of delivering global projects will be crucial to meeting our exacting standards and tight timeframe.”

ISG built Jaguar Land Rover’s production facility in Slovakia and it is also currently working on two flagship schemes in London: University College’s £280 million neuroscience hub and the Oak Cancer Centre at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Paul Cossell, ISG chief executive, said: “This landmark project to build the UK’s first gigaplant is one of the most visible signs that we are confidently stepping up to meet the challenge of new zero emissions by 2050 and closely aligned with the government’s key commitment to cease petrol and diesel car manufacturing by 2030.

“The construction phase alone will directly support thousands of jobs in the North East and create a wealth of training and upskilling opportunities for local communities.”

The gigaplant is being designed by Italian design company Pininfarina.

It will be built on a 95-hectare site, formerly the site of the Blyth Power Station.

The plant will exclusively use renewable energy, including the potential to use hydro-electric power generated in Norway and transmitted 447 miles under the North Sea via the world’s longest inter-connector from the North Sea Link project.