Fire concerns at proposed unmanned Longforgan battery energy storage system

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Longforgan residents have raised a number of issues with plans for a battery energy storage system including the risk of a fire at the unmanned site next to a railway line.Sunshine Project 01 Limited has submitted a proposal of application notice to erect a 50MW battery energy storage system on land near Monorgan Farm.The company's director said they are reviewing the scheme and addressing locals' concerns and are happy to continue holding consultation events.Two consultation events were held this month at Longforgan Bowling Club after an initial public consultation event in November was held in Errol - much to the confusion of Longforgan residents.A second planning consultation meeting - scheduled to take place on December 14 - also at Errol Village Hall did not take place due to unforeseen circumstances.

Two subsequents events were held in Longforgan in January - closer to the application site.Longforgan resident Linsey Morgans attended the latest public consultation event and said there was "a large amount of concern from the local residents" particularly about fire safety.Linsey said: "Serious concerns for fire safety - as proven in the past three years to exploding batteries in Perth itself - which have affected the main transport artery and Friarton Bridge."This is to be an unmanned site.

Who would raise the alarm should a fire break out?"Linsey added: "Nobody has a crystal ball regarding this matter, and that the UK must move forward with renewable energies, etc planning for the future.

However if an accident were to happen, it will be too late to say, 'if only'."The proposed should be within an area that has excellent access, and is capable of taking the construction traffic, etc."Our village is a rural one and