The Liddell Battery project comprises the development of a 500-megawatt, two gigawatt-hour grid-scale battery (BESS) on the site of the former Liddell power station - which retired in 2023.
The project is to be delivered over three stages:
- Stage one: decoupling works to faciliate new connection following the retirement of the Liddell power station.
- Stage two: delivery of the BESS.
- Stage three: ancilliary works to Bayswater power station.
Construction work for the BESS is expected to commence in early 2024.
Construction works for the BESS project would include:
- Cut and fill to battery compound, transformer compounds, footings and construction laydown area
- Trenching and installation of cable from Battery to 330 kV / 33 kV transformer compounds
- Structural works to support Battery enclosures, inverters, transformers, buildings and transformer compounds
- Delivery, installation and electrical fit-out of the Battery
- Delivery installation and fit out of transformers and ancillary equipment for decoupling works
- Testing and commissioning activities
- Installation, maintenance and access works
- Demolition or deconstruction of existing equipment
- Establishment of a hardstand pad and construction laydown areas
Key Dates
| Dec 2023 | Contract Award |
| Jun 2024 | Construction Commencement |
| Dec 2025 | Expected Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
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In December 2022, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced the project as one of eight Battery Energy Storage Systems to receive conditional funding through ARENA’s $176 million Large Scale Battery Storage Funding Round. The project will be supported by a $35 million grant from ARENA's Large Scale Battery Storage Fund and a Firming Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA), arranged by AEMO Services on behalf of the NSW Government. |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | AGL |
| Successful Tenderer: | Fluence (a Siemens and AES Company) |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Mar 2022 | The project received planning approval from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment. |
| Dec 2022 | The project was announced as one of eight battery projects to receive conditional funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)'s Large Scale battery storage Funding Round, pending a formal funding agreement. The exact funding allocation has not been announced. |
| Mar 2023 | The NSW Department of Planning granted the project Stated Significant Development (SSD) status. |
| Nov 2023 | The project was awarded a Firming Supply Long-Term Energy Service Agreement by AEMO Services under Tender Round Two of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. |
| Dec 2023 | AGL announced it had reached Final Investment Decision for the 500 MW grid scale battery. The total construction cost for the project is estimated at approximately $750,000,000. |
| Dec 2023 | Fluence was selected as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction provider for the delivery of the BESS. |
| Jun 2024 | Construction commenced on the project. AGL announced the project is expected to be operation by December 2025. |
