EnergyAustralia’s proposed Mt Piper Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, near Lithgow in New South Wales (NSW), has received development approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
The proposed project site is on previously cleared land owned by EnergyAustralia, south of the Mt Piper Power Station. The project would connect into nearby, existing electricity infrastructure to develop a grid-scale battery with the capacity to dispatch up to 500MW of power over a duration of up to four hours.
The project would provide flow-on benefits for the local community, including up to 200 construction jobs. EnergyAustralia estimates the project would inject a total capital investment of approximately $1 billion into the NSW economy.
The Mt Piper BESS is expected to commence construction in 2027 and will help supply NSW customers with a reliable source of electricity when demand is high, adding security and reliability to the energy grid. At full capacity, the BESS will provide energy for up to 320,000 homes and small businesses for four hours.
A BESS is an energy storage system that can capture electrical energy from different sources, and store that energy for later use. Energy is discharged from the battery to meet demand when needed. Battery energy storage systems will play an essential role in the transition to renewable energy.
MEDIA RELEASE: Mt Piper Battery Energy Storage System project receives development approval | EnergyAustralia
PLANNING APPROVAL LINK: Mt Piper Battery Energy Storage System. | Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment