The Battery of the Nation initiative (BotN), being led by Hydro Tasmania, is investigating and developing options to expand renewable storage and generation in Tasmania.
Focusing on pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), BotN would also require upgrades to transmission and interconnection to the NEM through the complementary Marinus Link project.
Key Dates
| Feb 2019 | Project Announcement |
| Dec 2025 | Expected Construction Commencement |
| Dec 2031 | Expected Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
| Federal Government | |
| Tasmanian Government | |
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The Tasmanian Government's commitment has come through Hydro Tasmania. |
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PROJECT HISTORY
| Feb 2019 | The Federal Government, through Hydro Tasmania, committed $30 million to take the first phase of Battery of the Nation to investment stage by 2021. |
| Mar 2019 | An ARENA-funded concept study reduced a list of over 2,000 potential pumped hydro options in Tasmania to 14. Hydro Tasmania further narrowed the options to three: - Lake Cethana in Tasmania's North West, with 12 hours of storage capacity - Lake Rowallan, also in the North West, with 24 hours of storage capacity, and - Tribute Power Station on Tasmania's West Coast, with 31 hours of storage by establishing a new connection between Lake Plimsoll and Lake Murchison. |
| Apr 2020 | Hydro Tasmania released a series of brief papers supporting the case for 'deep storage' as part of the future energy market. The papers were jointly funded by ARENA. |
| Dec 2020 | Hydro Tasmania selected Lake Cethana as the preferred option for a pumped hydro site. |
| Jul 2023 | Hydro Tasmania announced that technical feasibility assessments have been completed, looking at proposed design, environment, heritage and social considerations, and cost. Community consultations are now taking place ahead of Federal, state and local approvals being sought over the next two years. A Final Investment Decision is anticipated around mid-2025, with construction commencing late 2025 and completed in 2031. |
| Oct 2023 | Invitation for public comment commenced under the EPBC Act for the project. |
| Nov 2023 | Further geotechnical investigative work was undertaken in response to the EPBC Act referral which identified several flora and fauna may be affected by the project. |
Sector
Energy
Procurement approach
Unconfirmed |
Location
Tasmania |
Resources
