Origin Energy plans major expansion of Eraring battery precinct

Origin Energy has announced plans to significantly expand the battery precinct currently under construction at the Eraring coal-fired power station site in New South Wales. The company is seeking federal environmental approval for the Eraring BESS North project, a 500 MW / 4,942 MWh addition that would bring the total capacity of the precinct to 1,200 MW and 8,600 MWh.

Origin states the expansion is a response to structural shifts in the National Electricity Market (NEM) as the sector transitions from coal-fired generation toward variable renewable energy. The project aims to provide necessary dispatchable firming capacity to address the gap created by increasing renewable energy integration.

The Eraring battery precinct is being developed in stages. The first phase is expected to connect to the NEM in early 2026, with a second stage due in early 2027. If approved, construction on the Eraring North expansion could begin in 2028, with full commercial operations projected for early to mid-2031.