A major milestone has been reached with the transformation of the Eraring Power Station site, where the first stage of a large-scale battery project was officially completed. 

Energy company Origin Energy marked the occasion alongside Lake Macquaroie Independent Greg Piper, representatives from Lake Macquarie City Council and project partners. 

The battery project is designed to support Australia’s transition to cleaner energy by storing electricity when supply is high and releasing it when demand increases. 

Origin’s head of energy supply and operations Greg Jarvis says the milestone acknowledged an important step for both the company and the national electricity network. 

“We are thrilled to have completed the Eraring Battery 1 project, which is Origin’s first operational battery,” he stated.

“By storing electricity during the day when it’s abundant and dispatching it at night, large-scale batteries allow us to respond quickly to changes in supply and demand – making them an increasingly important part of Australia’s energy mix.” 

Construction on the battery began in 2023 and will ultimately form one of the largest energy storage systems in the region. 

The first stage can deliver 460 megawatts of stored electricity for up to four hours into the National Electricity Market, helping stabilise the grid as renewable energy sources such as wind and solar continue to expand. 

More than 1,900 battery enclosures have already been installed as part of the project, alongside about 200 kilometres of power and communications cabling. 

A second stage is now underway and expected to be completed by March 2027. 

Once finished, it will add a further 240 megawatts of storage capacity for up to six hours. 

Mr Jarvis says the expansions would cement the site’s long-term role in Australia’s energy system. 

“When work on the second stage is completed, Eraring will become the site of the largest operational battery in the southern hemisphere, ensuring this site remains at the heart of Australia’s energy system for decades to come,” he said.

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