News

The 1-month EIS exhibition period has started for three large-scale renewable energy projects across New South Wales, with the public invited to make submissions about these state significant developments.

Valent Energy’s Tamworth Battery Energy Storage System, to be located approximately 6km south-east of Tamworth in northern New South Wales, is proposed to consist of a 200 MW / 400 MWh battery storage project comprised of 68 BESS banks.

The project also includes 33kV switchrooms, control rooms, a 33/132kV on-site substation, and an operation and maintenance building.

The proposed development footprint is about 8.29 hectares with an underground connection from the on-site substation to TransGrid’s Tamworth Substation, located 170m north of the project site.

The project is expected to create up to a peak of 100 jobs during construction which will go for approximately 24 months, inclusive of testing and commissioning.

An EIS for Lightsource bp’s Sandy Creek Solar Farm, located approximately 25km south-west of Dunedoo in the Central West of NSW, was also opened for public exhibition.

The project will have a proposed generation capacity of up to 700 MW AC via a network of approximately 1.5 million PV panels, plus a battery energy storage system with a capacity of up to 700 MW AC and up to 2800 MWh storage.

The project study area covers approximately 1713 hectares, which includes an impact footprint of approximately 1489ha. The site has historically been used for cropping and grazing.

Construction is anticipated to take between 22-28 months requiring a peak FTE workforce of approximately 350, with start targeted for around quarter two of 2026.

Following surveys and community feedback, ACCIONA has modified its Keri Keri Wind Farm proposal by refining the initial planned capacity of as much as 1000 MW down to 884 MW via the installation of 155 turbines, modelled on Nordex 5.7 MW units. A 200 MW / 400 MWh BESS is also part of the project.

The project site covers an operational footprint of 574 hectares on land predominantly used for agriculture, situated approximately 30km south-east of Balranald in the Murray River LGA and South West REZ.

Connection to the grid will be sought on the under-construction Project EnergyConnect 330kV transmission line which intersects the project area.

ACCIONA’s up to 400 MW Keri Keri Solar Farm will be developed separately.

The EIS for Keri Keri Wind Farm is open for public comment until 20 June.