The New South Wales electricity grid has just added the Waratah Superbattery, a facility that is operational and functioning as a buffer system against contingencies such as bushfires, lightning strikes or heat waves.
Waratah Superbattery and energy storage
This storage was designed and is operated by Akaysha Energy, an infrastructure currently representing the world’s most powerful grid-connected battery, with a projected final capacity of 850 MW and 1,680 MWh. In this first stage it reaches 350 MW, playing a critical role in grid protection. protection of the grid during extreme events.
The development is located on the site of the former Munmorah coal-fired power station, 100 km from Sydney, the superbattery forms part of the System Integrity Protection System(SIPS), which aims to ensure the constant flow of power in the event of in the event of any grid failure. This system integrates software, communications and paired generators that automatically respond to any contingency.
In addition to its role as an energy buffer, the project includes substation upgrades, transmission line upgrades and agreements with distributed generators in New South Wales. TransGrid, the grid operator, coordinates signals between systems to ensure instantaneous activation of backup.
The project was awarded in 2022 by EnergyCo, the state entity in charge of energy transition. Since its construction in 2023, it has mobilized more than one billion Australian dollars in investments and generated hundreds of indirect jobs, positioning the region as a benchmark in sustainable infrastructure.
The technical capacity of the battery is intentionally oversized, which compensates for degradation over time and enables Akaysha Energy to commercially exploit the surplus, reducing system operating costs.
Source and photo: Akaysha Energy
