Rothbury Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Project Overview

We are proposing a battery in Rothbury to add storage to the local electricity network. We're planning for the energy network of the future, now.

This battery will store 540MWh of energy - that's enough to power up to 36,450 Ausgrid households a day.

As we switch to renewable sources like solar and wind power, we need more energy storage to make sure we have power when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing. This will mean we can provide our customers with more sustainable, more reliable and more affordable power.

NSW needs six times more energy storage before 2030. Projects like the RothburyBESS are important to help keep our electricity supply stable.

Where will the Rothbury BESS be located?

Ausgrid’s proposed BESS will be located at 1309 Wine Country Drive, Rothbury. If approved, the project will be built and operated by a third party.

BESS support the clean energy transition

The benefits of a BESS include:

Enabling more renewable energy
Reducing the need for new transmission lines
Local construction jobs
Improving grid stability and reliability
Enabling more affordable electricity

Learn more and share your feedback

We want to hear from the local community and answer any questions you might have. The feedback we get from this early consultation will help shape the project.

Contact our project team for more information.

Phone: 1800 574 044 - Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm
Email: batteries@ausgrid.com.au
Mail: Ausgrid BESS Project Team, GPO Box 487, Newcastle NSW 2300

Project Timeline

Early 2025
- Submit Scoping Report to NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Industry and request SEARS
- Prepare Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Mid 2025
- Submit EIS to NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Industry
- EIS Exhibition
Late 2025
- Project determination
2026
- Start construction

Survey

Rothbury BESS Early Planning Survey

We are engaging with local community and stakeholders to inform the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This helps us to better understand how a project may affect the environment and community. The feedback you provide will shape the project design.

Take this Survey

Events Registration

Pop-up information sessions
Find out more about Battery Energy Storage Systems
We are holding a series of pop-up information sessions and invite you to come to them to learn more about the project.

No upcoming event found.

Newsletters

Community Newsletters and Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets

What is a BESS?

Community Newsletters

Community Newsletter March 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a group of large rechargeable batteries, connected to form one very large battery. BESS collects energy, stores it when there is a lot and then releases it when there is high demand for electricity.
These large batteries are critical to ensuring the reliability of electricity supply for households and businesses.

We are also connecting community batteries to our network infrastructure. Community batteries are the same technology, at a smaller size and help manage energy from roof top solar, locally.

As we switch to renewable sources like solar and wind power, we need more energy storage to make sure we have power when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing. This will mean we can provide our customers with
more sustainable, more reliable and more affordable power.

By connecting BESS to our existing substations, we are reducing the impact on our communities and the environment, and decreasing the need to build more large transmission and distribution lines, which helps reduce costs and makes electricity more affordable.

BESS support the clean energy transition and make the energy network more reliable, affordable and sustainable. Their benefits include:

Enabling more renewable energy
Reducing the need for new transmission lines
Local construction jobs
Improving grid stability and reliability
Enabling more afforable electricity