Two, 254-tonne transformers arrive at site of shuttered coal plant to join huge Liddell battery

Two 254-tonne transformers have made the nine-hour journey from the Port of Newcastle to Muswellbrook in the New South Wales Upper Hunter region, to form part of a huge battery being built at the site of a shuttered coal plant.

The “key construction milestone” for the Liddell battery energy storage system (BESS) was announced on Thursday by Lumea, part of the Transgrid Group, which is building the 500 megawatt (MW), two-hour BESS for its owner, AGL Energy.

“The construction and development of the Liddell BESS is progressing well with the arrival of the second of the two large transformers, marking another key milestone for the AGL construction team,” AGL’s head of construction, Johan Myburgh said on Thursday.

“Approximately 147 people are working to deliver the Liddell BESS, and we are on track for targeted first operations in early 2026.”

Lumea executive general manager Craig Stallan says the two hefty 330/330kV transformers will enable energy to be stored and then converted and delivered at grid voltage – bridging the gap between battery and network.

“This milestone brings us one step closer to bringing the Liddell BESS online, where it will help stabilise the grid and support the growing share of renewables in NSW.

“At Lumea, we’re focused on developing smarter, more flexible grid connection solutions that simplify the integration of energy storage.

“By drawing on Transgrid’s expertise and working closely with AEMO and AGL, we’re helping accelerate Australia’s energy transition while ensuring grid reliability.”

The team says the next phase for the BESS includes electrical installation, testing and commissioning of HV switchgear, and close coordination with the Australian Energy Market Operators (AEMO) ahead of full market integration.

Liddell is the third coal generation site to be transformed into a battery storage hub, alongside the 850 MW, 1680 megawatt-hour (MWh) Waratah Super Battery at the site of the shuttered Munmorah coal plant, and the 700 MW, 2,800 MWh Eraring battery being built next to the country’s biggest coal generator, also in NSW.

Coal hubs are a favoured site of big batteries, because of the established infrastructure – power lines and substations – and batteries are being built at Collie, Hazelwood, Kogan Creek, Stanwell, Tarong and Swanbank, among others.