Victoria’s SEC to build state’s first government owned solar and battery project
The Victoria government’s newly created State Electricity Commission has announced the purchase and development of what will be the first government owned solar and battery project in the state.
The $370 million project will include a 199 megawatt (MW) solar facility, backed by a 100 MW, 200 MWh big battery, and will be built near the Horsham sub station and existing transmission line.
The project was once known as the Horsham solar farm, and under the ownership of Esco Pacific was one of the winners of the state government VRET2 renewables auction in 2022, but never got built.
Now, under government ownership, the battery component will be doubled in size.
Horsham was one of a number of solar project bought from Esco Pacific by the Swedish developer OX2, which announced in September that it had sold an unspecified 119 MW solar project in Victoria to an un-named buyer.
The SEC says the behind-the-meter battery – the solar and battery will have a single connection point – will be used to soak up cheap solar during the day and sell power to the grid later in the day.
It will be the first 100% government-owned energy generator in Victoria of any kind since the Liberal Party privatised the state’s energy system more than two decades ago.
It is the second major investment by the newly formed SEC, which was given $1.1 billion to help deliver 4.5 GW of new wind, solar and storage projects.
It has also invested $245 million in the 600 MW, 1600 MWh battery project known as the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, which is at the half way point of construction.
The SEC renewable hub is expected to be on line in 2027 and will be built and managed for the first five years by OX2 under the terms of the sale agreement.