The Western Australian (WA) Government has announced the start of construction for the Kwinana Battery Stage Two.
The State Government has committed $625 million to the project, which comprises 288 shipping container-sized battery modules and 72 inverter units.
The inverters employ cutting-edge technology to help maintain grid stability by storing power when demand is low and releasing it back into the grid when demand is high.
“This big battery features new technology and will strengthen the reliability of the power supply to WA’s main electricity grid,” Energy Minister Bill Johnston said.
The WA Government noted that over 160 jobs would be created during the Kwinana Battery Stage Two construction. It is projected to finish in late 2024.
The Kwinana Battery Stage Two will have a capacity of 200 megawatts and an energy storage capacity of 800 megawatt hours, four times that of the Kwinana Battery Stage One.
The battery is being constructed on three hectares of land adjacent to the first grid-scale battery at the old Kwinana Power Station.
“The start of construction for WA’s second grid-scale battery energy storage system is an important milestone in WA’s energy transformation,” Premier Roger Cook said.
“It is particularly fitting that we’re building the infrastructure of future at the site of the old Kwinana Power Station – keeping the Kwinana industrial strip front and centre as our energy system transitions to a new future,” Premier Cook stated.
The State Government is committing $3.8 billion in renewable energy infrastructure, including the construction of a 500-megawatt battery energy storage system at Collie. The Collie big battery development proposal will likely be filed to the Shire of Collie later this year.
Big batteries are a key undertaking under the WA Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy and aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“By investing in renewable energy and battery storage solutions, this Government is safe-guarding the long-term resilience and flexibility of our electricity network,” Minister Johnston stated.
