Big battery in middle of Sydney forced to planning review by residents of tiny towns 800 km away

A major battery storage project located in the centre of Sydney has been forced to review by an independent panel after a volley of protests by residents of two tiny towns located around 800 kilometres away.

Ausgrid, which operates the local electricity network in much of Sydney and to the north of the state capital, wants to build a 200 megawatt (MW), 431 MWh battery in Homebush, next to an existing sub-station and right next to the M4 Western Freeway.

The $215million battery will be located 13 kms from the Sydney CBD and not far from the geographical centre of the Sydney metropolitan area.

It is one of at least 7 new big battery projects proposed for the greater metropolitan area in Sydney and Ausgrid argues that the Homebush battery is needed to boost grid reliability and security, and reduce the need for new transmission lines.

The Homebush battery proposal received 63 submissions, including 59 objections. A project must be referred to the Independent Planning Commission if 50 or more people object.

But the NSW Planning website reveals that 19 of the submissions opposing the project came from interstate – with just one opponent living within 5 kms of the project site.

Intriguingly, 12 of the submissions opposing the project came from Moulamein, a tiny town with a population of less than 500 that is located 806 kms from Sydney in the south-west of the state. Six came from the nearby small town of Barham, located 823 kms from Sydney.

There were a number of other submissions opposing the project from nearby towns such as Swan Hill (7) and Gannawarra, and from various “Save our Surroundings” organisations scattered across the same area.

Almost all were anonymous – apart from the serial objector Ian McDonald (from Walcha in New England), who said governments are putting renewable targets ahead of the nation’s public health and food security.

Other concerns that were cited by objectors included the usual fears about fire safety, pollution, waste, traffic (it is right next to a major freeway) and – less plausibly in this instance – concerns about the impact on agricultural land.

It is one of the most striking examples of the ability of special interest groups to hijack the planning process in the state of NSW, affecting wind, solar and battery projects and transmission lines.

Most objectors made clear they simply don’t like the idea of renewables and think that climate sciences is a “con”.

One submission said the battery would ensure “cyber warfare” in the heart of Sydney, alleging that the battery could be forced by foreign entities – through remote controls – to shut down, overheat or extract data from the local area.

The 12 submissions from Moulamein and surrounding areas were strikingly similar, usually a one or two sentence question, and often with poor spelling.

“Does this BESS project align with Sydney’s long-term renewable energy goals, or is it just a stopgap?” wrote one. “What plans have been put in place for server (sic) weather events.”

Another from Moulamein expressed concern about “noise and light” from the battery, which is located at the junction of two major freeways. “What mitigation plans have been considered? were local resedender (sic) involved in the process?”

Another from nearby Swan Hill asked: “How will this installation affect property values for those living within a kilometre of the site? Have residents in the surrounding suburbs been mad (sic) aware?”

There were also a handful of submissions from local residents, and from the local Discount Shopping outlet operator, Vicinity Centres, which did not object but was concerned about the view from its car parks and suggested the use of colour bond fences as mitigation.

The NSW Planning department says the project “would not result in significant impacts on the local community or the environment, and any residual impacts can be managed through conditions.”

Submissions to the IPC are open until July 17. There is no plan for a public meeting. The IPC recently had to cancel a proposed meeting for a contested solar and battery project, because none of the mostly long distance objectors to the project that forced it to the review panel bothered to turn up.

Ausgrid hopes to begin construction of the battery this year.

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