National Grid has awarded eight contracts to energy storage providers in the UK.

The winners – EDF Energy Renewables, Vattenfall, E.ON, Low Carbon, Element Power, RES and Beletric – will provide a total of 201MW of capacity.

They were chosen under National Grid’s inaugural Enhanced Frequency Response service tender, aimed at helping balance the power grid when it is under stress.

The eight sites, which will be online between April 2017 and March 2018, have been awarded a total of £66 million on a four-year term and will supply electricity at one second’s notice.

It is the first time battery storage has been used at grid-scale in the UK, with the technology expected to result in around £200 million in reduced costs.

Cordi O’Hara, Director of UK System Operator, National Grid said: “We are constantly looking to the future to understand how we can make the most of the energy available to us. This project is at the very core of our Power Responsive work, to balance the Grid by the most efficient means possible, saving money and energy.

“These awards show that we can work with industry to bring forward new technology and I believe storage has much to contribute to the flexible energy system of tomorrow. This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the industry.”