Akaysha Energy’s Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has commenced full commercial operations, marking a key development for one of the world’s most powerful battery energy storage systems.<\/p>\n
The company, which built, owns and operates the project, confirmed that the facility is now active following approval to operate at full capacity from the Australian Energy Market Operator.<\/p>\n
Located at the former Munmorah coal-fired power station site, the Waratah Super Battery is designed to deliver up to 850MW of power and can store 1.68GW-hours (GWh) of energy.<\/p>\n
Commissioned and overseen by EnergyCo and the NSW Government, the project is part of the state’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.<\/p>\n
The system is intended to both store energy and provide rapid responses to grid disturbances.<\/p>\n
The project received a total of more than $702m (A$1bn) in private investment, with around 1,000 people involved in its design and construction, including 170 workers on-site during peak periods.<\/p>\n
With its current capacity, the project is able to power up to 340,000 NSW homes during periods of peak demand.<\/p>\n
The battery’s operation is directly integrated with the electricity transmission network through the System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS), delivered and operated by Transgrid.<\/p>\n
This system includes advanced monitoring and control technology, enabling the battery to detect grid disturbances in milliseconds and respond as needed to help maintain supply reliability.<\/p>\n
The SIPS can be activated immediately to manage unplanned interruptions such as those caused by severe weather events.<\/p>\n
Hitachi Energy was responsible for supplying, installing and commissioning 288 power conversion systems along with two power plant controllers for the facility.<\/p>\n
The digital architecture established by Hitachi Energy allows real-time monitoring and advanced analytics via its HMAX Energy service suite, delivered through a 20-year service agreement.<\/p>\n
NSW Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said: “The Waratah Super Battery is a game changer for NSW. As ageing coal-fired power stations retire, this project will help keep the lights on for homes and businesses while enabling more renewable energy to flow through the grid.<\/p>\n
“This is exactly the kind of infrastructure NSW needs to deliver a reliable, affordable and modern energy system for generations to come.”<\/p>\n
The Waratah Super Battery’s main function is to act as a “shock absorber” for the state’s electricity grid, capturing excess generation and releasing it during peak demand.<\/p>\n
It also aims to support the increasing share of renewable energy in the grid as ageing coal-fired stations retire.<\/p>\n