The Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub battery project, jointly owned by the State Electricity Commission (SEC) and Equis Australia, has started supplying stored electricity to Victorian households and businesses.
The battery project in Plumpton, with a capacity of 600MW and 1.6GWh of storage, is positioned to expedite the Australian state’s energy transition.
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Touted to be one of the largest battery installations globally, the hub can supply electricity to as many as 200,000 households during the evening peak demand period in Victoria.
The facility is strategically located at the intersection of several essential transmission routes, which is expected to reinforce the electricity network and facilitate the integration of additional renewable energy sources.
SEC CEO Chris Miller said: “The hub will soak up excess wind and solar power during the daytime and shift that energy to the evening peaks when we need it most.
“SEC’s A$245m [$162.41m] investment was pivotal to the project’s delivery, enabling construction to begin and allowing one of the project’s three big batteries to be upscaled from two to four hours of storage. I commend our partner, Equis Australia, together with all suppliers, contractors and delivery partners who worked tirelessly to deliver the hub to market – on time and on budget.”
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By GlobalDataThe battery project claims to have provided employment and training for over 1,200 individuals, with more than 70 apprentices and trainees contributing to approximately 20% of the total project hours.
Local businesses were also engaged, with over 12 Melbourne-based companies supplying services and materials, including traffic management, civil works, electrical installations, and landscaping.
The project is part of a broader plan to develop 4.5GW of new renewable energy and storage projects in Victoria, and it represents the inaugural investment from the SEC’s initial allocation of A$1bn.
Equis managing director David Russell said: “Today’s milestone shows that when industry and government work together, we can deliver complex, large-scale infrastructure that strengthens the grid, creates jobs, and helps reduce power prices for consumers.”
In March 2025, Equis Australia secured A$260m in financing and began construction on the 250MW/500MWh Calala battery energy storage system in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia.
