The 600MW BESS (battery energy storage system) at the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (MREH) will soon be plugged to the state’s electricity grid, with the final transformer arriving on site.
It follows the arrival of the first two transformers in January 2025, with the State Electricity Commission’s (SEC) mega battery on track to be operational in late 2025.
With help from the specialist crews at Quinlan Cranes, dressing works for the three transformers are now complete, and switch gear lightning protection and switch room have been installed.
Transformers play a vital role for any renewable energy generation or storage project.
They allow energy to be sent to and from the transmission network at the appropriate voltage, enabling BESS operations, maximising grid performance and reducing transmission losses over long distances.
In the case of MREH, this will support reliable transmission of energy to Victorian households.
Once all three transformers are connected, they will enable MREH to deliver up to 1.6GWh of energy storage into the grid – enough to power 200,000 homes during peak periods.
The project is made up of three battery components:
- A1 and A2, each comprised of 110 battery units (200MW/400MWh), which can power approximately 66,000 homes for two hours each
- A3, comprised of 224 battery units (200MW/800MWh), which can power approximately 66,000 homes for four hours
The project – co-owned by the SEC and Equis Australia – will become one of the largest batteries in the country once it’s complete, with up to 1200MW of charge/discharge capacity. It also has the capacity to expand even further, with approval for up to 2.4GWh of energy storage.
Designed with innovative inverter technology to support the transmission grid’s voltage and frequency, the MREH will strengthen the electricity network by replacing system inertia that is lost as ageing coal-fired power stations retire.
