New South Wales is taking steps to enhance the reliability of its electricity grid by accelerating the rollout of large battery storage projects. With an investment of $8.4 million, funding has been allocated to Transgrid and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to hire additional engineers, helping to fast-track grid connections for four major battery projects.
These projects, each with a capacity of more than 100 megawatts (MW), will collectively contribute 15% of the peak electricity demand in the state during summer. This is equivalent to supplying power to around 800,000 households during high-demand periods.
The projects eligible for this funding include:
- Waratah Super Battery (850 MW, 2-hour storage duration)
- Liddell Battery Energy Storage System (500 MW, 2-hour storage duration)
- Orana Battery Energy Storage System (415 MW, 4-hour storage duration)
- Richmond Valley Battery Energy Storage System (275 MW, 8-hour storage duration)
By investing in faster grid connections, these projects will help address potential reliability risks in the NSW electricity grid, particularly as coal plants retire and renewable energy generation increases. The new batteries will store renewable energy during periods of high generation and release it during peak demand, ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply.
The funding will also allow Transgrid to hire additional technical staff and create dedicated teams to support the grid connection process. AEMO will use its share of the funding to coordinate project management and streamline the connection of these battery systems to the grid by 2025-2026.
This investment is part of broader efforts to improve energy reliability and support the growth of renewables in NSW.