Construction begins on Latrobe Valley's new big battery
Work has officially started on EnergyAustralia’s 350 MW Wooreen Energy Storage System (WESS) in the Latrobe Valley.
The utility-scale battery storage facility will be built next to EnergyAustralia’s Jeeralang gas-fired power station at Hazelwood North in the Latrobe Valley, a location chosen for its land availability and proximity to the existing power grid. This strategic position will enable the efficient integration of the battery into the electricity network, offering maximum impact for the Latrobe Valley, the Gippsland region and the broader Victorian energy market.
When completed in 2027, the system will be capable of powering 230,000 homes over a four-hour period before needing to be recharged. With an investment of over $700 million, the WESS will be one of the largest energy storage systems in Australia, capable of providing grid stability for local communities and businesses.
EnergyAustralia said it was honoured to acknowledge the Gunaikurnai Elders, upon whose traditional lands the facility will be built. The Gunaikurnai Elders have given the facility its name: Wooreen, meaning ‘light’, reflects the project’s role in illuminating the path towards a sustainable energy future for the region and beyond.
“At EnergyAustralia, our purpose is to lead and accelerate the clean energy transformation for all,” said EnergyAustralia Managing Director Mark Collette.
“The Wooreen Energy Storage System is the largest single project investment made by EnergyAustralia. Wooreen will provide capacity to meet demand peaks while enabling more renewable energy to enter the electricity market, contributing to better customer energy outcomes.
“We thank the Victorian and Australian Governments for their support on this project as they have been instrumental in helping us reaching financial close on WESS. EnergyAustralia looks forward to delivering the Wooreen Energy Storage System by 2027.”
The battery equipment for WESS will be supplied by Wärtsilä Energy, while Zenviron will deliver the balance-of-plant works.
The Wooreen Battery is part of the Victorian Government’s Structured Transition Agreement (STAs) with EnergyAustralia, which aims to help workers and industry prepare for the closure of Yallourn in 2028.
The STAs will focus on helping workers retrain, reskill and find new opportunities, including tailored worker and supply chain transition programs, and a worker transfer scheme.
Victoria is currently home to 12 operational big batteries, with another 13 under construction or undergoing commissioning, pushing the state towards meeting its first renewable energy storage target of at least 2 GW by 2030.
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