Renewable energy company Neoen has selected CIMIC Group’s UGL for the design and construction of Stage 1 of Collie Battery, a 219 MW/877 MWh battery energy storage system, and associated energy infrastructure in Western Australia.
According to a media release issued by CIMIC today, UGL will design, construct, test, and commission the 33/330kV substation. The company will also handle the installation of the Tesla 2 XL Megapacks and the associated balance of plant infrastructure.
Under the contract, UGL will also oversee the replacement of an existing bridge and the construction of an access track to the site.
Neoen’s Collie Battery, capable of providing up to four hours of energy storage, will connect to Western Poer’s substation, which is part of the South-West Interconnected System.
“Reliable energy supply that helps to contribute to Australia’s net-zero aspirations is essential, with battery energy storage systems playing a key role. As a leading designer and constructor of electricity generation and storage assets, UGL has delivered 17 major renewables generation and storage projects. We are pleased to apply this experience at the Collie Battery,” said Juan Santamaria, executive chairman of CIMIC Group.
The Collie Battery marks UGL’s sixth BESS project in recent years and the company’s third for Neoen, according to Doug Moss, managing director of UGL.
The Western Australian project follows the successful design and construction of the Victorian Big Battery and the Western Downs Battery, which is currently under construction.
“We are delighted to be starting construction of Stage 1 of Collie Battery and would like to thank the team at UGL for their hard work. This is our third big battery with Tesla and UGL, and we appreciate being able to leverage the experience and trust built across a number of years for our first major project in Western Australia,” said Neoen Australia CEO Louis de Sambucy.
Work on the WA project has already commenced and is expected to be completed in late 2024.
