Origin Energy is set to further expand its large-scale battery project at the Eraring coal power station site in New South Wales, with an $80 million investment. This fourth stage of development will substantially increase the storage capacity of the project’s second phase to nearly six hours. The expansion addresses the rising demand for longer-duration energy storage solutions as the power grid continues to transition. Origin Energy is an Australian energy company focused on power generation and energy retailing. Wartsila provides technologically advanced, high-performance solutions for power generation.
The expanded battery will provide stored surplus power for extended periods, particularly after sunset. Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with the additional storage capacity expected to come online in the March quarter of 2027. Once completed, the battery will have a power capacity of 700 megawatts and a total storage of 3160 megawatt-hours.
The latest phase of the project involves adding 360 MWh of storage capacity to the existing 240 MW unit that was built during stage two. This significant increase will bring the average storage time for the plant to approximately 4.5 hours. The company is working to transition towards renewable energy sources and reduce the carbon footprint in its energy operations.
Finland’s Wartsila will supply the battery equipment for this expansion project. Enerven will be responsible for undertaking the construction work. This expansion represents a key step in Origin Energy’s commitment to supporting a cleaner, more reliable energy system.
