Work powers up on SEC’s giant battery as Megapacks arrive on site

04 September 2024

The first of 444 battery units are now being installed at the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub – one of the world's biggest battery projects and the SEC’s first investment.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio joined SEC Chair Simon Corbell,  SEC CEO Chris Miller and Equis Managing Directors David Russell and Mahesh Reddy at the Hub to see how the 600-megawatt big battery is progressing.

Once completed in 2025, the Hub will have three battery components providing 1.6 gigawatt hours of energy storage, enough to power up to 200,000 homes during peak periods.

Since work on the project began late last year, more than 530 people – including apprentices and cadets – have worked to complete earthworks and other critical infrastructure to prepare the site for installation of the batteries.

Next year the Hub will start storing excess rooftop solar and surplus energy from the grid, providing extra power at peak times to meet Victoria’s growing demand. It will be connected to three Renewable Energy Zones allowing more energy to connect to the grid – helping to accelerate the energy transition and drive down energy bills.

More than 15,000 tonnes of rock has been extracted and will be reused to build a barrier around the site, landscaped with native vegetation.

The Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub is the first project from the SEC’s initial $1 billion investment and is co-owned with renewable energy investor Equis Australia. This project will help deliver the SEC’s target of 4.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy generation and storage projects.

Building renewable energy storage capacity is key to an affordable and reliable energy supply as Victoria transitions to 95% renewable energy generation by 2035.