AGL has begun commissioning of the 500MW 2-hour grid-scale Liddell Battery at its Hunter Energy Hub in New South Wales.
Commissioning of the project’s first 250MW is underway, with the battery expected to slowly ramp up to full commercial operations by June 2026.
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Commissioning involves progressively testing battery performance and grid dispatch. This is a staged process that generally takes several months.
Speaking at the commissioning event, AGL managing director and CEO Damien Nicks said, “In April 2023 we closed Liddell Power Station after 50 years of operation with a celebration of the people of Liddell and the contribution that the power station made to the Hunter region and Australia’s energy system.
“Three years on I am proud to stand here today, to celebrate the commissioning of the Liddell Battery as the first major development in our plans to repurpose this site.
“This battery will deliver important firming storage for the energy system which is increasingly needed as coal exits the market, and the percentage of renewable generation increases.”
Once fully operational, the Liddell Battery will play an important role in providing storage capacity and supporting system stability in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
The Liddell Battery will join AGL’s expanding portfolio of grid-scale batteries, including the 250MW Torrens Island Battery, the 50MW Broken Hill Battery, and the under-construction 500MW Tomago Battery.
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This battery project has been supported by both a $35 million grant awarded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of its Advancing Renewables Program and a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA), awarded by ASL as part of the NSW Roadmap.
