The Big Canberra Battery project has been completed with the commissioning of the 250 MW/500 MWh Williamsdale BESS by Eku Energy in the Australian Capital Territory. The system, which has been built with Tesla Megapack 2 XL batteries, is able to store enough electricity to supply one-third of Canberra for two hours during peak demand.
Power and energy: 250 MW/500 MWh
Storage duration: Two hours
Battery units: Tesla Megapack 2 XL
Balance of plant: Consolidated Power Projects
Network provider: Evoenergy
Commissioning event: 5 November
Community funding: AUD 500,000
Eku Energy, a UK-based developer and operator of BESS, has commissioned the 250 MW/500 MWh Williamsdale BESS at Tuggeranong, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The commissioning was marked on 5 November 2026, and it was attended by the ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, by Caitlin Tough MLA and Taimus Werner-Gibbings MLA, and by the partners of the project.
The system is able to store enough electricity to power one-third of Canberra for two hours during periods of peak demand, and it is to support the ACT electricity network and the reliability of supply in the ACT and New South Wales. Its batteries are Tesla Megapack 2 XL units. Consolidated Power Projects has served as the balance of plant contractor of Eku Energy, Evoenergy has acted as the electricity distribution network service provider, and AEMO has supported the grid connection approval process.
We're delighted to have commissioned the Williamsdale BESS, which is now ready to provide energy security and support the ACT's electricity needs for the long term. This is a huge achievement, and we thank our delivery partners for their commitment over the past nearly two years.Tom Best, Chief Operating Officer of Eku Energy
The Big Canberra Battery program, which Williamsdale has completed, had been shaped by an ANU-led workshop under a collaboration between the ACT Government and the Australian National University (ANU), and it was co-designed with the community. Eku Energy has since provided AUD 500,000 to the ANU Centre for Energy Systems for the study of utility-scale batteries. A further AUD 500,000 has been given by the company to nine local organisations through its Powering Big Dreams program, among them OzHarvest, YWCA Canberra and the St Vincent de Paul Society.
The Williamsdale BESS marks the completion of the Big Canberra Battery project as the ACT moves towards electrifying our city and 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.Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
Williamsdale has been commissioned while Australian storage assets have been changing hands quickly. In the first quarter of 2026, about 2.7 GW was transacted across 10 deals in Australia, and in one of them, Eku Energy sold its remaining 30% stake in the 150 MW Hazelwood BESS in Victoria to Engie. The largest asset traded in that quarter, the 1.2 GW Hanworth BESS in New South Wales, is a four-hour system, as the market has been moving towards longer durations than the two hours of Williamsdale.