Australian power and gas producer Origin Energy Ltd has unveiled the third phase of its large-scale battery project at the site of the Eraring coal-fired power station in New South Wales.
This new phase will add 700 MWh to the existing 460-MW/1,070-MWh Phase One, increasing the total storage capacity to a four-hour dispatch facility.
Phase One of the Eraring battery is already under construction around 40 km southwest of Newcastle, and is expected to come online by the end of 2025. The same commissioning timeline applies to Phase Three.
Meanwhile, work on the 240-MW/1,030-MWh second stage is also underway, with an expected operational start in the first quarter of 2027.
The battery system will be developed with technology from Finland's Wartsila Corp and design and construction services from Enerven.
Once completed, the fully operational Eraring battery will be rated at 700 MW/2,800 MWh, making it the largest energy storage system in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest globally.
The facility will store excess solar generation during the day, helping to replace the capacity of the Eraring coal-fired power station, which is set to close in August 2027. When fully operational, the battery will provide enough dispatch power to supply over 150,000 local homes.
