Eraring Power Station is scheduled for closure in August 2027
Origin Energy has announced a major expansion of its Eraring Power Station battery project, which is set to become the largest battery energy storage system in the Southern Hemisphere. With the approval of a third stage, the project will boast a combined capacity of 700 MW / 2,800 MWh upon completion, cementing its role as a cornerstone in Australia’s transition to renewable energy.
The third stage will add 700 MWh of storage to the existing project, which already includes a 460 MW / 1,070 MWh first stage and a 240 MW / 1,030 MWh second stage. The expansion will increase the system’s dispatch duration to approximately four hours, enabling the battery to store and release energy more effectively to stabilize the grid as renewable energy sources like wind and solar continue to grow.
Greg Jarvis, Origin’s head of energy supply and operations, emphasized the project’s significance in advancing the energy transition.
“The scale of this project is impressive. Covering over 17 hectares—an area equivalent to 24 soccer fields—the Eraring battery will host more than 2,000 individual battery enclosures and 180 kilometers of cabling,” said Jarvis.
“At 2,800 MWh, the battery will dispatch enough energy to power more than 150,000 NSW households annually when cycled once a day.”
Eraring Power Station, which currently provides up to a quarter of New South Wales’ electricity supply, is scheduled for closure in August 2027 as part of an agreement with the NSW Government. The new battery infrastructure will transform the site into a critical hub for clean energy storage, ensuring reliability and security of electricity supply for decades to come.
Eraring Battery Stage Three: A Milestone in Energy Storage
With the second stage, a 240 MW / 1,030 MWh expansion, also underway, the Eraring battery’s combined capacity will reach 700 MW / 2,800 MWh. This scale places it among the world’s largest battery energy storage systems.
Once fully operational, the battery will dispatch enough energy—at 2,800 MWh per daily cycle—to power over 150,000 New South Wales households annually, helping to stabilize variable renewable energy supply from wind and solar.
Stage three is scheduled to come online alongside stage one by the end of 2025, while stage two is expected to commence operations in early 2027.
This development is part of Origin’s broader commitment to 1.5 GW of large-scale battery capacity, which includes projects at Eraring and the Mortlake Power Station in Victoria. The portfolio also incorporates tolling agreements for energy offtake from Queensland’s 500 MW Supernode battery, expected to begin operations in 2026.
The addition of stage three at Eraring, combined with the Mortlake battery under construction, brings Origin’s total investment in energy storage to approximately $1.7 billion, underscoring the company’s dedication to advancing renewable energy infrastructure in Australia.
Jarvis added that the Eraring battery underscores Origin’s commitment to clean energy solutions. “This investment represents another significant step in our ambition to lead the energy transition. Transforming the Eraring site into a major player in renewable energy infrastructure is a priority for Origin.”
The battery project is being constructed in collaboration with Finnish technology group Wärtsilä, which will supply the equipment, and Enerven, responsible for design and construction. Stage three is expected to come online alongside stage one by the end of 2025, with stage two anticipated in early 2027.
The Eraring battery expansion is part of Origin’s broader strategy to bolster energy storage. The company has committed to 1 GW of battery capacity across its projects, including a large-scale grid-forming battery at Mortlake Power Station in Victoria. The Mortlake battery, adjacent to Victoria’s largest gas-fired power station, is expected to come online in late 2026.
Origin’s total investment in owned energy storage now approaches $1.7 billion, highlighting the company’s efforts to support the reliability of Australia’s energy grid during the transition to renewable energy sources.
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