Enervest confirmed it has acquired the Northern Border Battery, a 300 MW large-scale battery energy storage project in advanced development, from a Sydney-based developer that has opted to remain anonymous.
The Northern Border Battery project is being developed near Bonshaw in the New South Wales (NSW) Northern Tablelands region, close to the Queensland border. It is to connect to the electricity grid via the nearby Dumaresq substation, a critical point in the Queensland to NSW interconnector.
Enervest said the “strategically located” battery will play a crucial role in integrating both traditional and renewable energy sources to the grid and help strengthen reliability and flexibility in the National Electricity Market (NEM) as ageing coal generators exit the energy system.
“With Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, Eraring, set to close in April 2029 and more than 27 GW of grid-scale storage projected to be required by 2030, the Northern Border Battery will be critical infrastructure for safeguarding system reliability, flexibility and security through the energy transition,” the developer said.
The project has already secured NSW Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (DPHI) approval and Enervest said it is now advancing through the connection application process with Transgrid and Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
Early works have begun on site with financial close targeted for late 2027. Construction of the battery energy storage system is expected to commence in early 2028.
The acquisition of the Northern Border Battery project marks a shift for Melbourne-based Enervest, which until now has primarily focused on developing third-party-owned projects.
The developer said the project will be one of the first assets retained on its own balance sheet under its own-and-operate model.
Enervest Chief Executive Officer Ross Warby said the move will further strengthening the company’s presence in Australia’s rapidly growing energy storage sector and complement its existing portfolio of utility scale and sub-five MW projects across the NEM.
“The acquisition of the Northern Border Battery represents a very significant milestone in Enervest’s long-term own-and-operate strategy and underscores our focus on attractive, high quality, investible projects that deliver lasting benefits,” he said.
“With a strong foundation established, we’re now delivering this project at pace to enhance grid resilience and support the next phase of the NEM as legacy generation exits the system.”
Enervest currently has 10 utility-scale battery energy storage projects under development as well as a substantive portfolio of sub-five MW distribution-connected batteries. It also continues to deliver commercial solar projects.
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