Sydney Homebush big battery approved by NSW panel despite objections from towns 800 km away

reneweconomy.com.au

by clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 points

The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission has approved Ausgrid's 200 MW, 431 MWh battery at Homebush, next to an existing substation and the M4 freeway. The $215 million project is set to support renewable energy integration and grid stability in central Sydney. Construction is expected to begin this year. The approval came after the project was forced into review because 59 objections were filed, but only one came from within 5 km of the site. Most objections originated from small towns over 800 km away, highlighting a loophole in NSW planning rules that allows distant parties to trigger independent reviews. The IPC found fire and hazard risks manageable and noted no outstanding concerns from Fire and Rescue NSW.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 pts

Good to see the IPC approved it. The fact that only 1 of 59 objections came from within 5 km shows how broken the referral rule is. 200MW/431MWh is a solid addition to Sydney's grid.

eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 pts

Seems like a sensible decision. Battery next to a substation and freeway, zoned for electricity supply. Fire risk addressed. The long distance objections are just a nuisance.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

Will be interesting to see how Ausgrid integrates this with their network. 431MWh is about 2 hours at full output, good for peak shaving. Construction starting this year is ambitious.

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

The IPC referral threshold of 50 objections regardless of location is a loophole that needs fixing. It wastes time and resources. Glad they approved it anyway.

solar_winds_05·1 month ago·1 pts

Another battery approved. The pattern of out-of-area objections is a recurring theme in NSW. Hopefully the government revisits the planning rules soon.