Australia's Largest Battery Storage Facility with 850 MW Commences Operation

The Waratha Super Battery, now operational, is the largest battery storage facility in Australia, boasting an initial output of 350 MW. This significant energy project, located in New South Wales, is set to reach its full capacity of 850 MW and 1680 MWh by the end of 2025.

Situated on the site of a decommissioned coal power plant near Lake Munmorah, approximately 100 kilometers north of Sydney, the facility is a testament to the shift towards renewable energy. Developed and installed by Transgrid, the battery system utilizes lithium iron phosphate technology provided by Powin, although Powin faced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy in July 2025. Akaysha Energy, a subsidiary of the US investment firm Blackrock, operates the battery storage.

The Waratha Super Battery is designed to store energy generated from solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources, ready to supply power during periods of high demand or outages. Its primary function is to act as a reserve capacity, ensuring grid stability when conventional power sources may be insufficient. The facility is integrated into a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS), which continuously monitors 36 transmission lines across New South Wales, enabling rapid responses to disruptions.

In the event of outages, such as those caused by lightning strikes, SIPS utilizes the Waratha Super Battery to provide backup energy, working in tandem with other renewable sources to stabilize the grid. The system can automatically detect potential overloads and instruct connected solar, wind, and hydro facilities to reduce their output as necessary.

Once fully operational later this year, the Waratha Super Battery is projected to be the most powerful battery storage system globally in terms of performance and capacity. However, it will still be surpassed by the Edwards & Sanborn facility in California, which can deliver 1300 MW at 3300 MWh. The Australian battery can recharge completely within two hours and has the capacity to power up to 970,000 households for about an hour.