Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is set to receive a significant upgrade to its backup power system, ensuring reliable energy supply during outages. City planners have approved enhancements to the hospital’s energy center located off Great Western Road in Gloucester.
The urgent replacement of two existing generators is driven by the growing electrical load at the hospital, according to a report presented to Gloucester City Council’s planning committee on April 7. Increasing the generating capacity is critical to support the hospital’s rising power needs and to guarantee uninterrupted backup power in the event of any future failures.
The approved project involves replacing two of the four current generators with larger, more advanced units capable of supporting anticipated future power consumption increases. Alongside the internal upgrades, several external modifications will be made to the energy center, including the installation of new ancillary equipment, removal of seven trees, and minor site reconfiguration to optimize space.
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Additional external works encompass the addition of fuel tanks, outlet attenuators, radiators, transformers, a chimney tower standing 23 meters tall, and a switch room. Hospital officials assured the committee that the generators would operate only during power outages or scheduled maintenance tests.
During the committee discussions, Councillor Roseanna Marshall stressed the necessity of the upgrade, emphasizing the critical role of advanced medical technology that depends on stable power. Councillor Andy Lewis described the proposal as a “no-brainer,” highlighting the risks of power loss during life-saving procedures. While Councillor Pam Tracey affirmed her support, she expressed concerns about noise impacts on local residents. Councillor Stephanie Chambers inquired about additional site security measures, to which officers responded that environmental safeguards and security protocols are already in place.
Chairperson Angela Conder, representing Kingsholm and Wotton, noted that there have been no complaints regarding noise from generator testing, reinforcing confidence in the project’s minimal impact on the community.
The council voted unanimously to approve the essential backup power upgrade, securing the hospital’s ability to maintain critical operations during power interruptions.