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Battery storageUnited KingdomEIR-0109

Fire in single battery unit at Thurrock BESS under construction

Feb 2025Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fire300 MW
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hiddenAsset hidden years old
Where
Thurrock BESS, East Tilbury, Essex, England
Operator
Statera Energy
What
Fire in single containerised battery unit
Injuries
None reported
Cause
Fault within one or more battery cells

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Statera Energy

What happened

In 2025 a fire broke out in a single containerised battery unit at Thurrock BESS, a large battery energy storage project in East Tilbury, Essex, England, being developed by Statera Energy, that was still under construction and not yet operational. The fire was reported in the late afternoon and the site was evacuated as a precaution. Fire crews attended within around ten minutes and used a water curtain to limit spread to neighbouring units.

The fire was reported as fully extinguished by the following afternoon, after which the fire service scaled back its response and handed the site back to site management. No injuries were reported and responders stated there was no risk to the wider public. Construction activities resumed within a few days while an investigation into the root cause was carried out.

Contributing factors

According to the fire service, a fault within one or more battery cells inside a single containerised unit led to ignition. Factors cited as helping to contain the incident were the spacing between battery units and the availability of firefighting water supplies on or near the site. No further findings had been published at the time of reporting.

Lessons learned

  1. Containerised battery units must keep designed spacing during construction, as separation limited spread after a cell fault led to ignition.
  2. Fire response plans and contacts must be agreed with local crews from the start of construction, as the site was evacuated and handed back after the fire.
  3. Unenergised battery units remain a fire risk in the construction phase, so risk assessments must cover evacuation triggers and site handover.

More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Root cause details from the investigation
  • Battery unit model and age
  • Duration of construction delay and cost

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

Energy-Storage.news (energy-storage.news)

Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Battery storage incidents in the United Kingdom, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Battery storage incidents in the United Kingdom: 9 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Battery storage fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: battery storage container fires.

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