The Waratah Super Battery will be erected on the site of the old Lake Munmorah Power Station, assisting in safeguarding the State‘s sustainable energy future.
Treasurer and Minister for Energy Matt Kean said the Waratah Super Battery would operate as an “energy shock absorber” for the power grid.
“The Waratah Super Battery will be the biggest network battery anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere, providing at least 700MW of standby network capacity to the grid,” Minister Kean stated.
According to Minister Kean, Lake Munmorah has a long history of energy generation, with the now-demolished power station providing power to New South Wales (NSW) for more than 40 years. The Minister added he’s overjoyed that NSW can now announce the return of increased electricity capacity to the area.
“The Waratah Super Battery will drive up to $1 billion in private investment in new energy storage and associated network upgrades, generating more than 100 jobs in the Hunter and Central Coast regions,” Minister Kean said.
The Minister added that while new transmission connections are being built, the battery will guarantee that electricity users in Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong have access to more energy from existing sources.
The NSW Government launched the Waratah Super Battery after Origin Energy indicated in February that the Eraring power facility would close in August 2025.
Transgrid has been named the network operator for the Super Battery.
Earlier this year, the Waratah Super Battery project was designated as Critical State Significant Infrastructure.
The construction, pending approval, is projected to commence in early 2023 and be completed by mid-2025, well ahead of Eraring’s earliest closing date.
