Collie Battery Energy Storage System (CBESS) Project is a 1GW/ 4GWh battery project being developed near the town of Collie in Western Australia (WA).

The project is planned to be developed by renewable energy company Neoen in multiple stages of around 200MW.

The company originated the project in 2021 and it received development approval from the WA Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel in December 2022.

Construction for Stage I of Collie Battery with a capacity of 219MW, 877MWh commenced in June 2023. It is expected to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Project Gallery

Each stage of the project will have a life span of around 20 years.

CBESS will be Neoen’s sixth big battery in the country, increasing its Australian storage assets to more than 1.1GW in operation or under construction stages.

Collie Battery Energy Storage Project Location

The Collie Battery Energy Storage System will be located around 13km north-east of Collie town, nearly 200km south-east of Perth.

The site is near the Collie Power Station on land owned by Western Australian electricity and gas provider Synergy.

Western Power owned 330kV Schotts Terminal on the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) is situated around 2.5km from the location.

Besides land availability, the location was selected due to its proximity to the grid and the existing industrial area.

Collie Battery Energy Storage Project Infrastructure

The CBESS infrastructure will include battery modules with Battery Banks, Power Conversion Systems, Power and Auxiliary Transformers and Ring Main Units.

The project will use lithium-ion batteries, with modules to be placed on hardstands.

The ancillary infrastructure will include building internal access roads and car parking spaces, a combined 33kV switchgear and control building, control panels for each 200MW stage 330/33kV substation with step-up power transformers and auxiliary transformers.

It will also include a connection to the existing Western Power transmission infrastructure, along with low voltage AC cabling for auxiliary supplies, between the PCS and Power Transformers, and low voltage DC cabling between the battery banks and the PCS, and communication cable network among others.

The site will also have an operations and maintenance office and storage warehouse and water supply connection.

Neoen will supervise and remotely control the project from Operation Control Centre (OCC) located in Canberra.

Collie Battery Stage I

According to Neoen, the construction of every 200MW battery and associated infrastructure will take around up to five hectares of land.

The first stage of Collie Battery sized at 219MW / 877MWh will comprise 224 Tesla Megapack 2XL units.

The battery packs will be enclosed in dust and waterproof, white or light-coloured cabinets made of steel. Every cabinet will be equipped with internal thermal management system.

It is expected to employ two to four on-site personnel as operational staff for the first stage of the project.

CBESS Stage I will provide up to four hours of energy storage. This will help in ensuring grid stability and reliable power supply during peak demand periods.

Power Evacuation

CBESS will be connected to the SWIS via the Western Power 330kV Shotts Terminal substation through two 330kV overhead lines from the project site.

It will be the latest big battery to be connected to the SWIS.

SWIS electricity grid supplies Perth, and more than one million homes and businesses between Geraldton and Esperance and east to Kalgoorlie.

Contractors Involved

The first stage of the battery project will consist of 224 Tesla Megapack 2XL units.

Neoen engaged Umwelt as consultants to assist with environmental and social studies and development approvals for the project.

Main Roads WA (MRWA) were contacted by Flyt Consultants as part of the Traffic Impact Statement in July 2022. Flyt was engaged to prepare Transport Impact Statement (TIS) in support of the industrial development for the CBESS.

In June 2023, CIMIC Group’s UGL received the contract from Neoen to build Stage I 219MW/877MWh of the battery system along with associated energy infrastructure.

Work scope of UGL includes design, construction, testing and commissioning of the 33/330kV substation, the installation of the Tesla2 XL Megapacks and the other plant infrastructure. UGL will also be responsible for replacement of an existing bridge and construction of an access track to the site.

Agreement

In June 2023, Neoen was awarded a 197MW/ four-hour capacity services contract by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) via a competitive tender initiated by the Western Australian Coordinator of Energy.

The two-year AEMO Non-Co-optimised Essential System Services (NCESS) contract will commence in October 2024.