Port of Newcastle gets approval to store grid‑scale lithium‑ion batteries

Port of Newcastle (PON) has become the first port in New South Wales to receive formal approval to safely store grid‑scale lithium‑ion batteries at its Mayfield Multipurpose Terminal. The NSW government granted the approval in late 2025 after extensive work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

The clearance allows PON to receive and temporarily store batteries destined for three of the state’s largest storage projects – AGL’s Tomago Battery, Origin Energy’s Eraring Battery and Bellambi Heights Battery Energy Storage System – together providing about 1.7 GW of dispatchable capacity and 6.8 GWh of stored energy, enough to power more than one million homes for four hours during peak demand. Port CEO Craig Carmody described the approval as a milestone that supports Australia’s energy transition and the port’s diversification strategy. To accommodate the new capability, PON is investing in a $36 million berth extension and exploring further capacity for project cargo and battery storage, building on its existing role handling oversized renewable‑energy components such as wind‑turbine parts.