Samsung C&T Proposes 320MWh Battery Energy Storage System in New South Wales to Meet Australian Environmental Regulations

Samsung C&T Submits Plans for 320MWh Battery Energy Storage System in New South Wales to Australia’s EPBC Act
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By George Heynes
April 14, 2025

Samsung C&T Renewable Energy Australia, a division of South Korea’s Samsung Group, has submitted plans to establish a 320MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in New South Wales, complying with Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. The proposed South Coree BESS, with a capacity of 80MW and a duration of 3 hours, will be situated in the Riverina Murray Region, an area predominantly utilized for agriculture, particularly horse grazing.

The BESS site is planned to be located just 1km northeast of the Finley Solar Farm, which boasts a capacity of 175MW and is owned by the international infrastructure investor John Laing Group. Additionally, it is positioned east of the proposed 1,600MWh Berrigan BESS, being developed by Syncline.

According to the planning documents, the BESS is expected to have an operational lifespan of up to 30 years. After this period, it may either be decommissioned or undergo upgrades to extend its operational life. The battery storage system will connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM) via the 132kV Finley Substation, providing electricity during peak demand periods and aiding in the reduction of energy curtailment on the grid.

Samsung C&T has confirmed that the South Coree BESS is classified as a State Significant Development (SSD) by the New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. Other SSD-designated BESS projects include AGL Energy’s 2,000MWh Tomago BESS and EnergyAustralia’s 2,000MWh Mt Piper BESS.

In addition to the South Coree project, Samsung C&T is also exploring the development of a 250MW solar-plus-storage facility in New South Wales, which will feature a 150MW/600MWh BESS. This project, named the Romani Solar Farm, was submitted to the EPBC Act in early February 2025. It will be located in Booroorban, approximately 618km south of Sydney and will cover around 1,810 hectares, with the solar plant alone occupying 430 hectares. Samsung C&T is committed to large-scale projects and has a global presence in the renewable energy and storage markets through various partnerships.

### Recent Developments in Energy Storage

In a related development, Tilt Renewables’ 100MW/200MWh Latrobe Valley BESS in Victoria has been integrated into the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) market management system, with commissioning and testing expected to begin shortly. According to Geoff Eldridge, an observer of the NEM and energy transition at Global Power Energy, the BESS was added to the AEMO system on April 8. This project is a collaboration between AusNet, which operates much of Victoria’s electricity transmission network, and Fluence, the technology provider awarded the project contract in 2023. The BESS is located south of Morwell, about 152km east of Melbourne.

Eldridge noted on LinkedIn that the initial operational output indicates the battery is currently undergoing commissioning. Tilt Renewables is also the developer behind the 350MW/1,400MWh Wooreen BESS project in the Latrobe Valley for EnergyAustralia, with construction on that project having commenced earlier this year.

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