Masdar has acquired the Smeaton battery energy storage project from UK developer Kona Energy, according to company records that show the transaction completed at the end of July 2026.

The project is located in East Lothian, Scotland and is being acquired via the energy group’s UK BESS subsidiary Masdar Arlington.

Smeaton has a planned capacity of 228 MW / 456 MWh, giving the project a two-hour storage duration.

Kona Energy secured planning approval for the project in September 2024 and subsequently launched a process to attract investment and strategic partners to support project delivery.

The location is considered strategically important due to substantial renewable generation in Scotland and ongoing transmission constraints between Scotland and England.

The project is also expected to benefit from changing regional power market dynamics following the anticipated closure of the Torness nuclear power station before the end of the decade.

In March 2025, Kona Energy secured a capacity market agreement worth approximately GBP 40m for the project through the UK’s T-4 auction process.

The capacity market contract provides a long-term contracted revenue stream and strengthens certainty around the project’s future operation.

At the time, Kona Energy said Smeaton had also secured two protections under electricity network reform measures and the UK’s Clean Power 2030 programme, improving confidence around its future grid connection arrangements.

Planning documents show the facility is expected to comprise 75 battery arrays.

Each array would contain 20 battery cabinets connected to a dedicated power conversion system.

Masdar and Kona were approached for comment.