Tesla Energy has achieved a significant milestone in Australia, delivering 224 Megapacks for the Orana Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near Wellington, New South Wales. This marks the halfway point for the project, which will ultimately see 448 Megapacks installed with a total capacity of 415 MW and four hours, or 1,660 MWh, of storage. Once completed, Orana BESS will rank among the largest energy storage facilities in the state.
Managed by Tesla Energy and Consolidated Power Projects, with developer Akaysha Energy overseeing the project, deliveries and installations have been described as “smooth and safe.” Construction is already underway on the 2 km² site, located in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). This zone is anticipated to accommodate up to 3,000 MW of new wind and solar generation, making large-scale storage projects like Orana BESS crucial for grid reliability. The site’s proximity to a robust section of the TransGrid 330 kV transmission system, along with its shared boundary with an existing substation, helps minimize additional infrastructure requirements.
The Tesla Megapack is the company’s flagship utility-grade energy storage solution, designed for grid-scale applications. Each unit can store massive amounts of energy and dispatch it when needed, aiding utilities in smoothing out demand and integrating renewable power sources into the grid. This technology has become a cornerstone of large-scale battery projects worldwide.
Australia remains a key market for Tesla Energy, with recent achievements including the completion of the 2.2 GWh Collie BESS powered by Tesla Megapacks and the deployment of Shanghai-built Megapacks at a $285 million Australian battery project. Additionally, Tesla recently unveiled the Megapack 3, a next-generation product boasting 5 MWh of usable AC energy per unit and a redesigned architecture for faster installation and improved long-term efficiency.
With Orana BESS now halfway complete, Tesla’s Megapacks are poised to play an increasingly central role in supporting New South Wales’ transition to renewable energy. The project’s progress underscores the importance of large-scale energy storage solutions in advancing the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.