Collie has become home to Western Australia’s largest State-owned battery, a development the WA Government says marks a further step in the State’s transition towards renewable energy while supporting the planned retirement of State-owned coal-fired power by 2030.
The Collie Battery Energy Storage System (CBESS), located opposite the Collie Power Station, has 500 megawatts of storage and can deliver 2,400 megawatt hours of electricity, as revealed in a news release.
According to the government, this is enough to power about 785,000 homes for more than four hours, placing it among the largest batteries operating in Australia.
The project has been delivered through Synergy, with the government stating it has invested more than $1.6 billion in the battery. It is the third grid-scale battery completed by the Cook Government in just over three years and forms part of its broader plan to expand renewable generation and storage as coal-fired power is phased out.
Premier Roger Cook said Collie would continue to play a central role in the State’s energy system. “Collie has played a vital role in powering Western Australia for decades, and under my government, it will continue to do so,” he said.
Cook added that the updated Just Transition Plan would provide “further certainty to the local workforce” as the town adapts to changes in the energy sector.
Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the battery would help manage renewable energy supply.
“Synergy’s Collie battery will capture wind and solar generation and use it to power homes when needed,” she said, adding that renewable generation and storage, supported by gas, was the “least-cost energy mix for households and businesses” as the State exits coal-fired power.
The government has highlighted Collie’s role in its Just Transition strategy, noting it has committed nearly $700 million to job-creating initiatives in the town, including training and workforce development through the local Jobs and Skills Centre.
A new Collie Just Transition Plan for 2026–2030, developed with the Just Transition Working Group, was released earlier this month alongside an updated investment prospectus.
South West Minister Don Punch said the investment would help maintain Collie’s economic role in the region.
“By backing large-scale renewable infrastructure alongside strong transition planning, we are delivering real opportunities for local workers and businesses,” he said.
Local MLA Jodie Hanns said the battery project supported employment during construction. “Synergy’s Collie battery project generated about 500 jobs during construction, including 50 jobs for people living in the local community,” she said, adding that Collie is now home to what she described as the two biggest operational batteries in Australia.
The developments also sit alongside the government’s $337 million WA Residential Battery Scheme, which it says has supported more than 10,000 household battery installations to date, with funding available for up to 100,000 systems statewide.
