Genesis Energy Initiates Construction of 200MWh BESS in New Zealand
By George Heynes
June 6, 2025
Genesis Energy, a publicly traded energy generation, wholesale, and retail company in New Zealand, has officially begun the construction of a 100MW/200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) on the North Island. The announcement was made on June 5, with the project being located at the Huntly Power Station in Waikato, New Zealand’s largest thermal power station.
The Huntly Power Station has a generation capacity of 1,200MW, making it the largest electricity generation site in the country. As previously reported by Energy-Storage.news, Saft has been chosen as the supplier for the BESS. Saft will provide a complete turnkey solution for the 100MW/200MWh Huntly BESS, which will utilize 70 of its ‘iShift’ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery containers along with power conversion and control systems. The system is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2026.
Malcolm Jones, CEO of Genesis Energy, emphasized that the BESS will serve as a crucial backup for the national grid during peak demand times, particularly during cold winter mornings and evenings. “We’ll be able to store electricity in the battery during times of high generation and release it when it’s most needed,” Jones noted.
Additionally, Jones mentioned that the BESS is a key component of their Gen35 strategy, which aims to establish a 400MW system at Huntly Power Station by 2035. This project marks the first phase of that plan. The BESS will also represent Saft’s third utility-scale BESS project in New Zealand, following a similar 100MW/200MWh system supplied to state-owned Meridian Energy, which is set to be developed near Whangārei, New Zealand’s northernmost city.
Tracey Hickman, chief wholesale officer at Genesis Energy, highlighted that Saft’s proven track record in New Zealand was influential in their decision to partner with them for this project.
The commencement of construction on the Huntly BESS comes shortly after Genesis Energy launched what it claims to be the largest solar PV power plant in the country: the 63MWp Lauriston site, located west of Christchurch on the South Island, near the Rakaia River in the Canterbury Plains. This site was previously used for agricultural purposes, specifically sheep grazing, and Genesis has confirmed that these agricultural practices will continue in a model known as ‘agrivoltaics’ or ‘agriPV’.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/genesis-energy-launches-construction-of-200mwh-battery-storage-system-at-new-zealands-huntly-power-station/
