Two new Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tenders have opened, designed to unlock an estimated $4 billion of additional private investment in the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) for the south-west region of Western Australian, including Perth.
The CIS gives investors the certainty they need to build renewable generation and firming projects, delivering cheaper, cleaner, more reliable renewable energy for homes and businesses as coal exits the system.
Related article: Government increases Capacity Investment Scheme to 40GW
These tenders will add 1.6GW of renewable generation backed up by 2.4GWh of clean dispatchable capacity to the WEM. This is enough energy to power more than 900,000 households annually and enough storage to cover the peak load of 550,000 households for 4 hours.
Successful tenders will secure Western Australia’s energy grid by contributing to the state’s CIS capacity allocation of at least 2.3GW of renewable generation and 4.4GWh of clean dispatchable capacity, complementing earlier tenders.
Proponents will have 10 weeks to submit their bids under the new streamlined CIS process. They will be assessed not just on deliverability and value for money, but also on their contribution to grid reliability, the strength of their engagement with First Nations communities, and binding commitments to deliver shared benefits.
Bidding closes on 7 November 2025.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said, “These latest tenders will deliver certainty of progress to the Western Australian market and households with support for cleaner, more reliable renewable energy.
“We know the Capacity Investment Scheme is working, with investors and developers outbidding each other for the chance to deliver even more renewable energy for Western Australia this decade.”
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said, “Western Australia’s clean energy transition is well underway, with a mix of public and private renewable energy generation and storage projects paving the way for us to exit State-owned coal generation by 2030.
Related article: Perth to get five new community batteries
“This latest Capacity Investment Scheme tender provides investors with confidence to build projects here—backing the delivery of clean, renewable power for Western Australian households and businesses.
“CIS is already enhancing our energy transition, and adding a further 1.6GW of renewable generation will further strengthen our clean energy credentials and boost the capacity of our standalone our energy grid.”
