Tailem Bend 3 BESS

Project Name	Tailem Bend 3 BESS
Technology	Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
Capacity	204 MW / 408 MWh

Project Size	3.5 ha
Location	Tailem Bend, South Australia
Construction Commenced	Q3 2025

SECTIONS

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Tailem Bend 3 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will have a capacity of 204 MW / 408 MWh and will be supported by associated ancillary infrastructure. It will contribute to the National Electricity Market via ElectraNet’s Tailem Bend Substation, located 250m east of the project.

Located 2.5 km south-east of Tailem Bend town centre and 90 km south-east of Adelaide, the BESS sits within the Coorong District Council’s local government area. The project is adjacent to existing infrastructure that forms part of the larger Tailem Bend Project, including the operational Tailem Bend 1 solar farm and the Tailem Bend 2 Hybrid Project.

As the electricity network transitions to renewable energy generation, storage is becoming increasingly important for reliability and resilience. The intermittent nature of wind and solar resources creates supply gaps that energy storage can fill. The Australian Energy Market Operator has identified that storage capacity needs to triple within the National Energy Market to meet electricity demand.

The BESS will provide both storage and firming capacity to the NEM, while assisting with grid stability through frequency control ancillary services. It will charge and store energy from the electricity grid during low demand periods, then discharge the stored energy back into the grid during peak demand, putting downward pressure on electricity prices.

The Tailem Bend 3 BESS is scheduled for commissioning in 2027.

Planning Process

The Tailem Bend 3 BESS is considered ‘essential infrastructure’ under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, as the battery will contribute to safeguarding the stability and reliability of South Australia’s electricity network.

A Crown Development Application for ‘essential infrastructure’ was submitted in March 2023 and was subject to public notice between April 2023 and May 2023. The application was approved in July 2023 subject to conditions.

Application details are published on PlanSA; application number 571/V003/23: Development application register | PlanSA

ENGAGEMENT

Vena Energy is committed to ongoing engagement with the local community of Tailem Bend and our project stakeholders, to build strong relationships and establish a socially sustainable project.

We will continue to engage with neighbours, and the wider community and stakeholders throughout the progress of the project.

Benefits

The Tailem Bend 3 BESS will increase storage capacity in South Australia, supporting the Market Operator’s recommendation that installed storage needs to triple to meet electricity demand. It will provide both storage and firming capacity to the National Electricity Market, while helping to stabilise the grid through frequency control ancillary services. By contributing to South Australia’s target of net zero emissions by 2050 and supporting the Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Target Scheme, it will help reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The BESS will deliver economic benefits to the region through construction jobs, supplier contracts and flow-on opportunities for local contractors and businesses. Vena Energy supports local procurement and will prioritise local, regional and Australian suppliers wherever possible. This includes a wide range of services such as fencing contractors, concreters, welders, electricians, plant and equipment operators, transport contractors and administrators.

Employment & Procurement

Vena Energy Australia supports a local procurement policy and promotes participation from local, regional, and Australian suppliers wherever possible.