A commissioning celebration was held today with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Caitlin Tough MLA, Taimus Werner-Gibbings MLA and industry partners and guests in attendance. The 250 MW/500 MWh Williamsdale BESS can store enough electricity to power one-third of Canberra for two hours during peak demand periods. It will support the ACT electricity network and strengthen energy security andreliability for the ACT and NSW.

Tom Best, Chief OperatingOfficer at Eku Energy, said:

We’re delighted to have commissioned theWilliamsdale BESS, which is now ready to provide energy security and supportthe ACT’s electricity needs for the long term. This is a huge achievement, andwe thank our delivery partners for their commitment over the past nearly twoyears.

The Williamsdale BESS uses Tesla's Megapack 2 XL batteries and was delivered with Consolidated Power Projects as Eku Energy’s balance of plant contractor, Evoenergy as the electricity distribution network service provider and AEMO supporting the grid connection approval process.

Best added,

Eku Energy’s commitment to Canberrans extends beyond the battery itself. Through our Powering Big Dreams community benefit sharing program, we have deployed $500,000 to nine local organisations that support environmental sustainability, education and social connectedness. This is our commitment to delivering lasting benefits for Canberrans, through Williamsdale as a battery for the community and through the community organisations that support Canberrans.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said,

The Williamsdale BESS marks the completion ofthe Big Canberra Battery project as the ACT moves towards electrifying our cityand achieving net zero emissions by 2045.

I am encouraged to see Eku Energy’s investment to support local community organisations. The Williamsdale BESS is delivering benefits for Canberrans today and a more reliable electricity system as our territory grows.

The nine organisations funded through Powering Big Dreams are the Southern ACT Catchment Group, Fearless Women, St Vincent de Paul Society, Rise Above Cancer Relief, YWCA Canberra, The Stellar Company, Australian River Restoration Center, OzHarvest and the Canberra Environment Centre. Stories of the Williamsdale BESS Powering Big Dreams grant recipients can be found on www.poweringbigdreams.com.

The Williamsdale BESS builds on the ACT Government’s collaboration with the Australian National University (ANU). An ANU-led workshop helped shape the Big Canberra Battery program that was co-designed with the community. Eku Energy has subsequently provided $500,000 in funding to ANU’s Centre for Energy Systems to examine the role of utility-scale batteries and improve public understanding of their benefits and challenges.

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