Neoen reaches operational milestone with 1.3 GWh Australian battery
French renewable energy and storage developer Neoen has confirmed that testing and commissioning of the 341 MW / 1,363 MWh second stage of the Collie Battery project in Western Australia (WA) is now complete.
“Collie Battery Stage 2 commenced operating in July 2025,” the developer said in a statement. “Together with the 219 MW / 877 MWh Stage 1, Collie Battery Stages 1 and 2 are now both in operation and supporting the WA electricity network.”
Neoen, majority owned by Canadian asset management giant Brookfield, said the combined 560 MW / 2,240 MWh capacity battery energy storage system, built near the coal town of Collie about 200 kilometres south of Perth, will play a significant role in stabilising WA’s main grid, known as the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
The project has been contracted by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to provide essential system services by soaking up solar energy during the day and dispatching it into the SWIS to support the network across the evening peak.
Stage one of the project, that was completed last year, is contracted to provide 197 MW of storage capacity for four hours discharging during peak demand. Stage two has been awarded a 300 MW, four-hour capacity services contract.
Neoen says the combined battery will have the ability to “charge and discharge 20% of the average demand” in the SWIS.
“This is intended to address the risks AEMO has identified related to the retirement of coal power plants, high penetration of rooftop solar and increasing energy demand in Western Australia,” it said.
The Collie battery energy storage system is now the largest operating battery in Australia, trumping the 300 MW / 450 MWh Victoria Big Battery and also larger than Synergy’s 500 MW / 2,000 MWh battery that is under construction just a few kilometres away in Collie.
It also eclipses Akaysha Energy’s 850 MW / 1,680 MWh Waratah Super Battery that is yet to reach full capacity, although the New South Wales asset will remain the country’s most powerful battery because of its 850 MW connection.
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