The initial delivery of 2,600 battery units has arrived in Australia for the Waratah Super Battery project in New South Wales. The project, located at the former Munmorah coal-fired power station, is set to become Australia's largest battery upon completion, boasting a capacity of 850 MW and 1680 MWh. However, competition looms from the 500 MW, 2000 MWh Collie battery under construction in Western Australia.
The Waratah battery will function as a massive "shock absorber," leveraging its size and flexibility to facilitate full-capacity power transportation to the state's major load centers. This initiative aims to address the gap left by the planned closure of the 2.88 GW Eraring coal generator, though the timing of this closure is subject to negotiation.
Akaysha Energy, the project owner, has made significant progress, securing agreements and commencing installations. The battery units, supplied by US-based Powin, are now en route to the project site from the Port of Newcastle and are expected to be fully operational by August 2025.
Transgrid is responsible for connecting the battery to the grid and implementing upgrades to the NSW transmission network, including a $30 million System Integrity Protection Scheme to ensure rapid response to power system disruptions.
Source：Renew Economy
