Up to 150 jobs could be created during construction of a major new renewable energy project proposed for Armidale, with residents invited to have their say.
Eku Energy has announced plans for the Wongalea Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a 300 MW / 1,200 MWh facility to be located at 475 Grafton Road (Waterfall Way). The project will directly connect to the Armidale substation and store renewable energy to feed into the National Electricity Market (NEM) for more than 20 years.
According to Eku Energy, utility-scale batteries such as the proposed Wongalea BESS play a key role in ensuring grid stability and keeping electricity costs down.
“Utility-scale batteries, also called battery energy storage systems (BESS), help deliver energy security and are future proofing our grid,” said Stu Hillen, Head of Development and Country Lead for Australia at Eku Energy.
“They balance the supply and demand of electricity, help reduce energy price volatility and put downward pressure on electricity prices.”
“The proposed Wongalea BESS will generate electricity into the National Electricity Market (NEM) NSW/ACT Region with a proposed operational life of 20+ years,” he said.
“Should the proposed Wongalea BESS be approved for development, we expect this to create about 150 jobs during the construction phase.
“Eku Energy will deliver on social license commitments as part of the project’s approval to deliver benefits to communities in Armidale.”
Social license commitments are a standard part of all renewable energy developments, ensuring that the community shares the wealth generated by the development. This is usually in the form of community grants and donations, or contributions to council or local infrastructure.
“We are engaging with First Nations representatives, the local community, businesses and stakeholders to explore what local and regional benefits are important to them,” Hillen said.
“This includes jobs, opportunities to support local businesses to community benefits sharing schemes.”
The Wongalea BESS proposal is currently subject to NSW Government planning approvals, with Eku Energy preparing to lodge an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in February 2026. The EIS will provide detailed assessments on the project’s potential environmental, heritage, safety and amenity impacts.
As part of the early engagement process, Eku Energy is hosting two community events in Armidale on 8 November 2025 to share project details and gather feedback.
A Meet and Greet Morning Coffee will take place from 7am to 10am at Double Drop Café on Beardy Street, followed by a Community Drop-in Session from 12pm to 3pm at The Mill Bistro, Armidale Ex-Services Club, 137 Dumaresq Street.
The sessions will offer locals a chance to meet the project team, ask questions about the EIS process, and learn about Powering Big Dreams, Eku Energy’s proposed benefit sharing plan. The program aims to build long-term community partnerships and invest in local initiatives that support the Armidale region.
Further information about the proposal and upcoming consultation opportunities is available at https://www.ekuenergy.com/aus/wongalea.
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