Construction of Queensland’s biggest battery nears halfway mark, after 324 Megapacks complete 650 km road trip

Queensland state owned generation company Stanwell Corp says it is nearing the halfway mark of construction of what will be – at least for a time – the biggest battery storage project in the state.

The 300 MW, 1,200 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery being built at the site of Stanwell coal fired power station in Rockhampton required 324 Tesla Megapacks to trucked some 650 kms from the Port of Brisbane to the site.

The Tesla Megapacks each weigh 38-tonnes and measure in at more than eight metres in length. Up to 10 per day were delivered over the past few months.

Stanwell General Manager Central Generation, Angie Zahra said the arrival and installation of the final Megapack at the Stanwell Battery site was a proud moment for the project team. 

“Over the past three months, 324 of these Megapack units have been transported to site which is quite the logistical feat,” said Stanwell general manager Central Generation, Angie Zahra.

LinkedIn video: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stanwell-corporation-limited_stanwell-energysfuture-batterystorage-activity-7378230003680870400-qBGE/

Work will now begin on connecting the Megapacks to medium-voltage transformers as well as laying high-voltage underground conduits and feeder cables and preparing for the arrival of the second switch room.

The current biggest battery in Queensland is the 540 MW, 1,080 Western Downs battery in the south of the state, where Neoen has recently completed the second stage. Quinbrook’s Supernode battery, in the outskirts of Brisbane, could overtake that with storage of up to 3,000 MWh.

“By investing in large-scale storage projects, we’re creating a more resilient energy system and positioning ourselves to meet the needs of customers and the National Electricity Market for decades to come,” said Michael O’Rourke, Stanwell CEO.

“Batteries provide reliable, dispatchable energy and are needed as our energy system diversifies. They are critical for us to be able to continue to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for Queensland, our customers and the National Electricity Market.

Stanwell currently expects the battery system to begin commercial operations in May, 2027, at which point Stanwell predicts it will be operating a battery firming portfolio of 2.8 gigawatt-hours (GWh).

Construction of the Stanwell Battery was expected to create around 80 jobs at its peak, but Zahra says up to 115 people have been working on-site, including many from the region.

“It’s created jobs and supported local businesses – a great example of how important infrastructure projects can benefit regional communities,” Zahra said.

Want the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox? Join more than 26,000 others and subscribe to our free daily newsletter.