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RWE confirms £200m battery storage investment for Pembroke

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RWE has signed off a £200 million investment to build one of the UK’s largest battery storage facilities in Pembrokeshire, with the announcement made at the Wales Investment Summit in Newport.

The energy company said the project – known as the Pembroke Battery – has now reached full financial closure. It follows planning permission being granted earlier this year, as well as success in the UK’s most recent capacity market auction.

Construction to begin next year

Work on the site, located on 5.1 hectares of land to the south of the existing Pembroke Power Station, is due to start in the first half of 2026. Subject to receiving an updated grid connection on time, commissioning and full operations are expected during the second half of 2028.

The scheme will consist of 212 lithium-ion battery containers. Once operational, the installation will be able to deliver up to 350 megawatts of electricity for as long as two hours, providing 700 megawatt-hours of stored energy. RWE says that output would be enough to power close to 300,000 UK homes for a two-hour period.

‘Flagship storage project’

Nikolaus Valerius, chief executive of RWE Generation SE, said the Pembroke Battery will play a vital role in balancing an increasingly renewable energy system.

He said: “As more renewable projects connect to the grid, the need for technology that can respond instantly becomes greater. Battery systems offer that capability. Pembroke is our flagship storage project in the UK and will support grid stability by storing surplus electricity and releasing it when it is needed most.”

Wales ‘central to UK’s clean energy transition’

First Minister Eluned Morgan told the summit that the investment underlines Wales’ importance in the shift to low-carbon power.

“This is a significant commitment from RWE and further evidence that Wales is at the heart of the UK’s move toward clean, secure energy,” she said. “The Pembroke Battery will support our ambitions for a greener future, while creating opportunities for skilled employment and supply-chain growth across south-west Wales.”

Tom Glover, RWE’s UK country chair, said Wales has the potential to lead the UK across “wind, solar, storage, hydro and emerging technologies” and welcomed the Welsh Government’s approach to unlocking investment.

South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz said: “This £200 million investment by RWE in a major battery storage facility at Pembroke is exactly the kind of bold commitment that reinforces Pembrokeshire’s role as a true powerhouse of energy production. It strengthens the region’s capacity to support the UK’s energy security and demonstrates the confidence that major global companies continue to place in our skilled workforce and strategic location.

“I am immensely proud of the industry that exists on the Haven waterway and have long championed its importance. Announcements such as this signal wider confidence that west really is best when it comes to Pembrokeshire and energy production.”

Business

Blas brings Pembrokeshire flavours to Cardiff with ‘Blas in the City’ at The Parkgate Hotel

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BLAS RESTAURANT, the three AA rosette dining destination known for its modern Welsh cooking and deep connection to Pembrokeshire’s land and coast, is heading to the capital for a special three-day pop-up: Blas in the City, taking place from Thursday 26 February to Saturday 28 February 2026 at The Sorting Room in Cardiff’s landmark Parkgate Hotel.

For a limited time only, Cardiff diners are invited to experience the flavours, creativity and storytelling that define Blas — without leaving the city. Working alongside The Parkgate Hotel’s kitchen team, Blas Head Chefs Dan Slipakiv and Gareth Evans will present a bespoke menu showcasing the best of seasonal Welsh produce, with refined, flavour-led dishes inspired by Wales’s rich natural larder.

“Blas in the City is an exciting opportunity for us to share what we do with a new audience,” said Blas Head Chef Gareth Evans. “We’re proud of our Pembrokeshire roots, and this collaboration allows us to bring the spirit, flavours and creativity of Blas to Cardiff.”

Hosted in The Sorting Room — a Michelin Guide-listed, two AA rosette restaurant — the pop-up combines Blas’s bold contemporary style with the elegance of one of Cardiff’s most celebrated dining rooms.

Event details

Dates: 26–28 February 2026

Lunch: 12:30pm – 3:45pm

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Location: The Sorting Room, The Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff

Dress code: Smart casual

Guests can book for lunch or dinner across all three days, with exclusive menus available throughout the event.

Blas in the City reflects the restaurant’s ongoing commitment to championing Welsh food, seasonal cooking and meaningful collaborations — offering guests the chance to enjoy something genuinely memorable.

Bookings are now open and availability is limited.
https://www.theparkgatehotel.wales/home/restaurant-bar/blas-in-the-city/

About Blas Restaurant

Blas is a three AA rosette contemporary Welsh restaurant rooted in Pembrokeshire, celebrating outstanding local produce, bold flavours and a strong sense of place. The name “Blas”, meaning “taste” in Welsh, reflects the restaurant’s philosophy of thoughtful, ingredient-led cooking inspired by land and sea.

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Business

Wind turbine blade convoy rolls through Pembroke Dock to Waterston

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Police escort guides huge component to Dragon LNG site as renewable upgrade continues

PEMBROKESHIRE residents were treated to an unusual sight on Monday (Jan 19) as a massive wind turbine blade was transported through Pembroke Dock under police escort.

The blade — stretching the length of a passenger aircraft wing — was carried on a specialist extendable trailer and moved slowly through the town before continuing towards the Dragon LNG site.

Footage shared online by Hidden Pembrokeshire – Gareth Davies Photography showed officers stopping traffic at junctions and roundabouts to allow the abnormal load to pass safely, with spotters walking alongside to guide the driver through tight bends and narrow sections of road.

Onlookers said the scale of the blade was striking up close, and many stopped to film the carefully managed convoy as it made its way along the route.

The delivery is part of ongoing works linked to new wind turbines being installed next to the Dragon LNG terminal, aimed at generating cleaner electricity for the site and helping to cut emissions in Pembrokeshire.

Further movements of turbine components are expected as the project continues.

Convoy leaving the Cleddau Bridge (Pic: Pete Sharp/Herald)

Video: Gareth Davies/Hidden Pembrokeshire

Cover Photo: Martin Cavaney/Herald

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Business

Loungers to open in Tenby’s South Beach this March

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UK-WIDE hospitality company Loungers plc is planning to open a new beachfront venue in Tenby, with the promise of 30 jobs created, in just over two months’ time.

The West Country-based café/bar group gearing up to open Lansio Lounge at Tenby’s South Beach on Wednesday March 25.

Loungers, founded in 2002, runs family-friendly Lounge café bars across the UK – including the Cofio Lounge at the Guildhall, Carmarthen, and the Waldo Lounge at Haverfordwest’s Riverside.

The Loungers build and design team will transform the former Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant on Water’s Edge, South Beach in their unmistakable and unique style, Loungers has said.

Loungers added: “A real home from home, Lansio Lounge will cater for all tastes throughout the day with a varied and innovative all-day menu.  Particular attention will be paid to families with a selection of games, books, colouring pencils, and pads on offer.  A full menu, high chairs and baby-changing facilities are also available for Little Loungers.

“With community and neighbourhood at its heart, Lansio Lounge will welcome locals looking for a space for regular catch ups, meetings and events – everything from business networking, book or knitting clubs to parent and baby meets and life drawing classes.”

Ellie Gould, regional community manager, The Lounges, says: “We can’t wait to open the doors of Lansio Lounge in March.  We hope our family friendly environment and top-notch food and drink offering will prove popular with local residents and visitors.

“We’re passionate about integrating genuinely into the communities we serve so we’re looking forward to meeting everyone and to playing our part at the heart of Tenby’s food and drink scene.  Anyone looking for a space to host events or groups should pop in once we are open, we’d love to hear from them and see what we can do to help.”

Late last week, the Loungers plans for the former Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant were revealled following an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for Loungers signage at Salty’s, which recently closed.

Tenby Town Council is recommending approval for the signage, but the park’s buildings conservation officer Rob Scourfield is recommending refusal for the proposals, in the town’s conservation area, mainly on the grounds illuminated signage is not generally allowed there.

The signage application will be considered at a later date.

Family-run venue Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant announced its closure on social media, confirming that Sunday, January 4 was its final day of trading.

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