Publicly-owned CleanCo Queensland has opened the Swanbank battery energy storage system (BESS), a 250MW/500MWh facility using Tesla Megapack technology at the decommissioned Swanbank B coal power station site in Ipswich, Australia. Funded at AU$330 million (US$214 million), the project repurposes retired infrastructure to support renewable energy integration and grid stability.
The Swanbank BESS marks a key milestone in Queensland's shift to cleaner energy. Located about 45km southwest of Brisbane at the site of four 120MW coal-fired turbines (commissioned 1971, shut 2012), the facility provides 250MW power and 500MWh storage over two hours. It connects to the National Electricity Market via existing transmission infrastructure and a new 275kV substation, with testing and commissioning starting in October 2025 alongside the Australian Energy Market Operator.
Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki hailed it as vital infrastructure under the state's Energy Roadmap: “This grid-scale battery... keeps the lights on, supports renewables, and strengthens reliability... batteries and gas generation work together... during peak demand.”
Funded by the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund, the AU$330 million project was supplied by Tesla (Megapacks), with infrastructure and installation by Yurika. CleanCo CEO Tom Metcalfe stated: “The Swanbank Battery is a critical addition... providing greater flexibility... reliable, lower-emissions energy... evolution from coal to gas to battery storage.”
The site is envisioned as a future clean energy hub, potentially adding wind, solar, hydrogen, and more storage.