Waratah Super Battery Enters Final Commercial Operations in Australia

A shock absorber for the network comes online

The Waratah Super Battery Project pairs two elements designed to function together: the battery itself, built, owned and operated by Akaysha Energy, and a System Integrity Protection Scheme Control System delivered by Transgrid.

In the language used by the project's proponents, the pairing acts as a shock absorber for the electricity network. The battery's capacity is put to work not only as a storage asset but as a tool for system security, enabling the grid to absorb and respond to sudden disturbances and unlocking additional transfer capability on the network so more renewable generation can flow through the transmission system while reliability is maintained for consumers.

That combined system has now reached final commercial operations, per an announcement dated 28 September 2026. The milestone closes out a project closely watched as the battery component of a broader grid-strengthening initiative commissioned by the NSW Government.

Scale, investment and workforce

The Waratah Super Battery is designed to deliver 850 megawatts of power and store 1,680 megawatt hours of energy. The project attracted more than $1 billion in private investment, and approximately 1,000 people were involved across design and construction, including 170 workers on site during peak construction. Reaching final commercial operations required coordination across battery technology supply, electrical infrastructure, and system integration.

Built on a former coal-fired site

The facility occupies the site of the former Munmorah coal-fired power station, placing one of the most powerful battery energy storage systems in the world on land once occupied by a coal-fired generator. For New South Wales, the completed project represents the culmination of a government-commissioned initiative to strengthen system security during the energy transition.

Leadership reaction

Akaysha Energy Chief Executive Officer Nick Carter described the achievement as a defining moment for the company and the state. "Bringing the Waratah Super Battery to final commercial operations is a landmark moment for Akaysha Energy, our project partners and most importantly, for NSW," Carter said. "We are proud of what has been delivered and are now focused on the role Waratah plays in supporting a more reliable, secure and renewable NSW electricity system."

The delivery team behind the milestone

In reaching final commercial operations, Akaysha Energy thanked EnergyCo, the NSW Government, Transgrid and its delivery partners for their commitment to delivering a project that strengthens system security and helps enable the state's energy transition.

The named delivery partners are Consolidated Power Projects Australia, Hitachi Energy, Wilson Transformer Company, REPT Battero and EVE Energy. The roster reflects the breadth of disciplines needed to complete a facility of this scale. Consolidated Power Projects Australia served as a delivery partner, Hitachi Energy and Wilson Transformer Company were involved in the electrical infrastructure, and REPT Battero and EVE Energy supplied the battery technology. Transgrid's delivery of the System Integrity Protection Scheme Control System sits alongside Akaysha Energy's delivery of the battery itself.

The road to September 2026

The path to final commercial operations has been progressive. Akaysha Energy published a status update on the Waratah Super Battery in November 2025, indicating the project was already operational ahead of the milestone announced in September 2026.

The company's news feed also records other recent milestones: the February 2025 announcement of a landmark offtake agreement between Akaysha Energy and Gunvor Group for Australian large-scale battery storage, and the online connection of the company's Ulinda Park BESS Phase 1 in December 2025.

Akaysha Energy describes its mission as building a better, brighter tomorrow by building the world's most powerful battery energy storage system today, a framing that places Waratah at the centre of the company's portfolio and of its proposition to the Australian energy market.

From construction to long-term operation

With final commercial operations achieved, Akaysha Energy says its focus now shifts to the operational role the Waratah Super Battery will play in New South Wales, centred on supporting a more reliable, secure and renewable electricity system for the state.

The battery and the Transgrid-delivered control system will together serve as the shock absorber the project was designed to provide, helping the grid respond quickly to disturbances as more renewable energy moves across the transmission system.

For Akaysha Energy and its partners, the milestone marks the transition from construction to long-term operation of a facility designed to deliver 850 megawatts of power and 1,680 megawatt-hours of storage from the site of the former Munmorah coal-fired power station.