Long-duration energy storage developer Hydrostor secured grid connection approval for its Silver City Energy Storage Centre in Broken Hill from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Transgrid.
The approval—a critical regulatory requirement for energy projects connecting to transmission infrastructure—confirms the 200MW/1,600MWh Silver City project meets Generator Performance Standards, following a rigorous assessment process involving extensive modelling, simulations, and network studies.
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Located adjacent to the Potosi Mine in Broken Hill, Silver City will operate as a large-scale energy storage asset connected to the NSW grid, storing energy when it is abundant and dispatching it when needed.
The Silver City project will use Hydrostor’s Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) technology to provide up to eight hours of long-duration energy storage. When fully charged, the project will have enough storage capacity to supply the equivalent of more than 80,000 homes for a day.
The project will also play an important role in strengthening energy security for Broken Hill and the Far West, with 50MW/250MWh of capacity reserved to provide backup power during planned or unplanned network outages.
Hydrostor country lead Martin Becker said, “Grid connection approval is another significant step for Silver City and reflects the considerable work that has gone into progressing a critical piece of energy infrastructure for Broken Hill.
Related article: Hydrostor’s Broken Hill mini-grid ticks state planning approval
“We are proud that this is now one of the most advanced long duration energy storage projects available for New South Wales.
“Long-duration energy storage will be essential as Australia brings more renewable generation online, providing reliable power when it is needed and strengthening the resilience of the grid, and we thank Transgrid for their support in helping us bring this solution closer to life.”
