Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited (SCEE Group) announced that its subsidiary, SCEE Electrical, has clinched the Balance of Plant (BOP Works) contract for the 500 MW/2,000 MWh Collie Battery Energy Storage System (CBESS) from Synergy.
Valued at approximately $160 million, the contract is slated for completion in the final quarter of the calendar year 2025, the company said in an ASX announcement.
Aligned with the WA State Government’s decarbonisation strategy aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2030, the Collie battery aims to replace coal-fired power generation with renewable energy sources and storage solutions.
Nestled in Collie, south-western Western Australia, and operating independently of the existing coal-fired Collie and Muja power stations, the battery will connect to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) via two 330kV overhead lines extending from the site to Western Power’s 330kV Shotts Terminal.
The scope of the BOP Works involves a wide array of crucial tasks, including civil and structural works, firewater reticulation and hydrant systems, installation of a concrete culvert cable containment network, laying 220 kilometres of 33kV reticulation cabling through a pit and pipe network, as well as the installation, cabling, and commissioning of 640 battery container units.
Additionally, SCEE said the project involves managing the laydown facility for their delivery at the Port of Bunbury.
Moreover, it includes the setup of Power Conversion Systems (PCS) consisting of 160 inverter/chargers, transformers, and Ring Main Units, alongside kiosk substations and 33kV switch rooms.
The construction and commissioning of an operations and maintenance building and a site security building are also part of the extensive scope, along with other ancillary equipment.
Graeme Dunn, managing director of SCEE Group, conveyed his satisfaction upon winning the project, expressing his eagerness to collaborate with Synergy to ensure the safe delivery of a high-quality product.
“Indeed, this project is the largest initial award by contract value in the group’s history, even surpassing the initial value of the Western Sydney International Airport terminal awarded to Heyday in 2021,” he stressed.
