News

BW ESS builds its Australian big battery presence with plans for a 400 MW / 1600 MWh BESS and associated infrastructure at McCullys Gap, approximately 6km north-east of Muswellbrook in NSW within the Muswellbrook Shire local government area and the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone.

The 13.38-hectare McCullys Gap BESS project site is located immediately east and adjacent to the existing 330 kV Transgrid Muswellbrook Sub-station. A 330kV transmission line will connect the battery to the sub-station.

The project has an approximate capital investment value of $800 million.

Pending approvals, construction is scheduled to start in 2026. During the approximate 18-month construction period the project will create up to 150 jobs during and require about 10 to 15 personnel on site once operational.

McCully’s Gap was initially developed by Penso, which Zurich-headquartered BW ESS fully acquired in October last year.

BW ESS has also started the planning approval process for its proposed 750 MW / 3000 MWh Bannaby battery energy storage system in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.

The Bannaby BESS site is located about 20km east of Taralga and 2.65km north-west of Transgrid’s existing Bannaby 500/330kV sub-station to facilitate connection to the NSW high voltage electricity transmission network.

If all approvals are gained BW ESS plans to start construction of the Bannaby BESS in Q2 or Q3 2026.

The map shows that the Muswellbrook and wider Hunter - Central Coast REZ region is a project hotspot.