Origin Energy is constructing a new grid-scale battery on the site of the Eraring Power Station, near Lake Macquarie, using existing transmission infrastructure. Delivery of the battery will be in three stages:
- Stage One: 460 megawatts / 920 megawatt hours
- Stage Two: 240 megawatts / 960 megawatt hours, and
- Stage Three: increasing the overall dispatch duration of the 700 megawatt capacity battery to four hours (2,800 megawatt hours).
Key Dates
| Jan 2021 | EOIs Open |
| Jan 2021 | Project Announcement |
| Apr 2023 | Contract Award |
| Oct 2023 | Construction Commencement - Stage One |
| Mar 2025 | Expected Construction Commencement - Stage Two |
| Dec 2025 | Expected Construction Completion - Stage One |
| 2025 | Expected Construction Completion - Stage Three |
| Mar 2027 | Expected Construction Completion - Stage Two |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Origin Energy |
| Successful Tenderer: | Enerven |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Jan 2021 | Expressions of Interest opened for the project. Origin also lodged an enquiry with Transgrid to connect the proposed battery via the Eraring substation to the national grid. Origin Energy will require final Board approval to progress the project once a preferred supplier is selected and permits are obtained. |
| Apr 2021 | The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements were issued for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project. |
| Nov 2021 | The project's Environmental Impact Statement was put on public exhibition, closing on 15 December. |
| Feb 2022 | Origin Energy announced it would bring forward its planned closure of the Eraring Power Station by seven years to 2025. Origin also confirmed it is continuing to progress the battery project on the Eraring site, but reduced the expected capacity of the facility from 2,800 megawatt-hours (MWh) to 1,400 MWh. |
| May 2022 | The NSW Government provided planning approval for the development of the 700-megawatt, 1,400-megawatt-hour Eraring Big Battery. |
| Apr 2023 | Origin Energy made a final investment decision to deliver the first stage of the project, and appointed Enerven, a subsidiary of SA Power Networks, to provide design and construction services. |
| Oct 2023 | Construction commenced on Stage One of the project. |
| Nov 2024 | Origin Energy approved the construction of Stage Three, increasing the project's total dispatch duration to 700 MW / 2,800 MWh. Stage Three – which will deliver an additional 700-MWh in storage capacity – is expected to come online alongside Stage One at the end of 2025. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2023)
Sector
Energy
Procurement approach
Traditional Procurement |
Location
New South Wales |
Resources
