Renewable retailer accelerates push into NSW with plans for a 200 MWh big battery

Renewable energy-focused retailer Flow Power has unveiled a new big battery project near Corowa in New South Wales as it continues and accelerates its push into the country’s biggest state electricity market.

Flow Power, which is both a retailer a project developer, is proposing a 100 megawatt (MW), 200 megawatt hour (MWh) battery next to the Corowa substation. 

Flow Power submitted a planning application for the project in July and says the standalone battery will enhance grid reliability and support renewable energy integration. It hopes to have an environmental impact statement ready by the end of the year.

The announcement follows news last week the Flow had signed a power purchase agreement to take 10 per cent of the output from the newly completed 400 megawatt Stubbo solar farm in the central west to underpin its push into the NSW market.

Flow Power’s battery portfolio includes the 100 MW, 200 MWh Bennett’s Creek battery in Victoria which has planning approval, and another bigger project in NSW – the proposed 300 MW, four hour Galore solar battery which is yet to make it to the planning application stage.

Flow Power community engagement head Kait Williamson says the company is promising an up-to $250,000 neighbour benefit program for the nine households living within 1km of the site, as well as a $800,000 community benefit fund. 

“We’ve been listening closely to the local community, council, neighbours and businesses, and are committed to delivering a project that strengthens the local grid,” Williamson said in a statement. 

The battery will provide up to 70 construction jobs as well as ongoing maintenance roles, and the company says it is focusing on prioritising local workers and suppliers.

The project’s scoping report calls the site “highly modified agricultural land” and says construction is expected to start in 2027, with an operational date sometime in 2029. 

Corowa is home to the 30 MW eponymous solar farm, and both are or will be on Essential Energy’s 132 kilovolt (kV) power line from Deniliquin to Albury-Wodonga.

Flood zone

The 2022 floods are still fresh in many minds in the Albury region, but Flow Power’s scoping report suggested the Corowa site is outside the one in 100 year flood zone for the area.

A NSW planning depart division has taken issue with this claim, which was based on a 2009 study, and wants the project to come back with a detailed flood report.

Regional Delivery, part of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’, says the 2024 flood study commissioned and adopted by the Federation Council shows the Corowa site is within the Murray river’s probable maximum flood zone.

“Despite the proximity to the Murray River, the Scoping Report suggests that the project site is not considered flood prone. Regional Delivery considers this to be inaccurate,” advice from the division in July says. 

Regional Delivery acknowledges that the flood risks are minor, however the project site must be considered flood prone.”

Building a retail presence

As a developer, Flow Power operates or is developing 21 projects in South Australia, Victoria and NSW, with the latter being where its biggest proposals are, according to RenewMap.

As a retailer, the company is also eyeing a launch into Queensland soon after it solidifies a residential presence in NSW.

The company promises customers that all their electricity usage is matched with accredited renewable power from local projects, and lets them nominate specific generators through their electricity plan.

Flow also has agreements with local projects including the Newstead Energy Project, Hepburn Energy Park, Berri Energy Project, and Clermont solar farm, as well as the Goyder South wind project in South Australia.

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