Australian energy powerhouse AGL is now officially seeking Federal Government environmental approval for a giant 500-megawatt, 2 gigawatt-hour Tuckeroo battery project, 140km north-west of Toowoomba.
The official application was lodged with for the project set to be built south of Chinchilla in the Western Downs region of Queensland.
The proposed development, which already has council approval, requires Federal Government approval because it involves matters of “national environmental significance”.
If approved, the project will consist of approximately 560 lithium iron phosphate battery packs, including approximately 560 battery packs, transformers, inverters, substation infrastructure and other auxiliary equipment. It is planned to be built on a 325ha site at 16 Mile Hall Road, Hopeland.
The application says the compound would be surrounded by a 2.7m high chain wire security fence.
The application says project will be connected to the nearby Powerlink Western Downs Substation via underground transmission lines.
The company says its plans for the battery project to start work in July 2027 and have a life of at least 22 years.
It says the development was designed to minimise any environmental impacts.
“The Tuckeroo Battery Connection Project has been designed having regard to ecological desktop and field surveys and the application of avoidance, minimisation and mitigation principles,’’ the application reads.
The planned 500MW/2,000MWh battery storage system would be the largest in the State,
Meanwhile, renewable energy and storage developer Genex Power is getting close to deciding the future of the planned 775 MW first stage of the Bulli Creek solar farm project, about 125km from Toowoomba.
The company, now wholly owned by former joint venture partner J-Power, says it hopes to make a final investment decision on the Stage 1 project later this year with construction expected to start in 2026.
The project is expected to create up to 800 jobs during construction.
The Queensland Government-owned Stanwell Corporation has already signed a 15-year deal to buy 550 MW of electricity from the first stage of the Bulli Creek solar farm project.
In July, Toowoomba Regional Council approved a proposal to build a 100-ha accommodation precinct, adjoining the Millmerran showgrounds and aerodrome, to house up to 800 workers building the solar farm.
Procurement and work packages are now open for the project including the request for the supply of 1.5 million bifacial solar panels.
The 775 MW solar farm is the first stage of a planned 2GW Clean Energy Park. It is proposed the initial solar farm stage would be followed by a battery energy storage system of up to 600 MW / 2,400 MWh capacity.
