Queensland LNP adds four-hour Bundaberg big battery to proposed call-in list

The fate of an up to 500 megawatt big battery proposed for Queensland’s Bundaberg region is in the hands of the state planning minister after being issued with a proposed call-in notice, based on push-back from local council and community members.

Iberdrola Australia’s Bundaberg Regional Battery, formerly known as the Gin Gin Battery project, is proposed for construction on private land around 20 km north-west of the town of Gin Gin.

According to the project website, the proposed site for the up to four-hour battery has “supportive neighbours” and was chosen for its proximity to the existing Powerlink substation, known as the Gin Gin Substation.

But in a notice published on February 24, Queensland planning minister Jarrod Bleijie says he received more than 10 requests from community and the local government to call in the project for reassessment of its development application (DA).

Two requests came from the Bundaberg Regional Council mayor, based on concerns about the project’s safety and suitability, and after the council failed to register a formal decision on the project.

“The proposal was required to be assessed and decided by Council as assessment manager in accordance with all requirements of the Planning Act,
including consideration of submissions received during the public notification period,” the minister says.

“However, Council did not issue a decision notice for the application within the statutory decision making period or at all under the Planning Act, and the application has been referred to the Planning and Environment Court.

Bleijie says that one of the key concerns of Bundaberg mayor Helen Blackburn is that the court appeal could “avoid recent legislative changes while creating unnecessary resource burdens for Council and the community.”

“I am also satisfied,” he adds, “that there is broad community concern regarding the proposal, evidenced by the tabling of a Parliamentary petition with 1,629 signatures requesting that the proposal be rejected.

“I have further received nine requests to call in the development application from members of the community… with 1 request received in June 2025 and eight requests received since December 2025.

“These requests identify concerns about the suitability of the site for a large-scale battery system and raise matters relating to safety risk and environmental concerns.”

Iberdrola Australia says that in response to council and community concerns raised in April last year, the project team has completed a number of further studies, commissioned reports, and produced an executive summary document, linked through its website.

The executive summary covers concerns raised relating to location, fire safety, water contamination, battery technology, community benefits and consultation.

Iberdrola Australia chair, Ross Rolfe, says he is confident in the project’s merits and that the company has taken all necessary steps to get it over the line.

“We take seriously all reasonable concerns raised by community members and believe we have answered these with the further work we have commissioned, the media campaign we ran to raise awareness of the project, and our work with various local community groups,” Rolfe said in a statement shared with Renew Economy this week.

“We are pleased that support for the project is at 60 per cent within the Bundaberg region and hope to increase that as we continue our work.

“We look forward to working with the Queensland government, Bundaberg Regional Council, and the local community through this call-in process. We believe our project is well located, with minimal impact on nearby residents, and will provide a long-term community benefit to the Bundaberg region.”

Bleijie says that while he is satisfied that the proposed battery has “the potential for benefits with respect to electricity storage and generation,” it also presents potential social, economic and environmental impacts that he says have not been assessed and decided by the Council.

“The call in process provides me with an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the application and ensure all matters relevant to the proposed development are fully assessed and balanced.

If Bleijie decides to call in the development application for the Bundaberg Regional Battery, his decision on whether or not to approve the projecy will be final and cannot be appealed.

The Gin Gin project is the third big battery to join Bleijie’s call-in list this year, following the January summoning of Potentia Energy’s 300 megawatt (MW) and 1,200 megawatt hour (MWh) Capricorn battery project near Bouldercombe, and Trina Solar’s 200 MW, 800 MWh Pleystowe battery project near Mackay.

The minister first exercised his call-in powers in to cancel the previously approved 450 MW Moonlight Range wind project in his electorate.

The wind farm and big battery, located 40km west of Rockhampton, was awarded stage government approval by the then newly elected Crisafulli government in December of 2024, only to have this approval overturned by Bleijie in May.

Bleijie said a review of the project application found it did not meet the requirements of a new development code (State Code 23) that came into effect in February 2025, or of new solar and wind farm rules unveiled at the end of April.

Bleijie has also called in two wind and battery projects owned by Cubico Investments – the Middle Creek and Marmadua energy parks – whose status remains unresolved seven months after their call in notices were issued.

In September, Bleijie effectively ended the previously-approved 1.2 GW Forest wind project proposed for a state pine plantation, by repealing the law allowing the dual activity to happen. 

Three other wind projects were paused at the start of 2025 so Bleijie could judge whether they’d done enough community consultation, but ultimately the Bungaban, Wongalee and Theodore developments were approved.

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