Genesis kicks off battery construction at Huntly Power Station

Huntly Power Station will soon do more than generate electricity; it will also store it in a 100 MW grid scale battery.

Construction of the project kicked off on site on 5 June, in a ceremony attended by the Minister for Energy Simon Watts, local iwi, Electricity Authority Chief Executive Sarah Gillies, Waikato District Council Chief Executive Craig Hobbs, and Genesis Chief Executive Malcolm Johns.

The battery will have a storage capacity of 200 MWh, enough to power around 60,000 average households for two hours during winter.

“The project will provide essential back-up to the national grid during times of peak demand, such as cold winter mornings and evenings,” said Johns. “We’ll be able to store electricity in the battery during times of high generation, and release it when it’s most needed.”

The Minister for Energy Simon Watts welcomed the start of the project’s construction.

"Grid-scale batteries are pivotal for enhancing our energy security and affordability. By integrating grid-scale batteries, we can reduce energy price volatility, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, and pave the way for a sustainable and resilient energy future," said Minister Watts.


Genesis CE Malcolm Johns and Energy Minister Simon Watts

Johns noted that Genesis recently opened its first solar farm at Lauriston in Canterbury.

“This battery is the perfect partner for our generation portfolio, including Lauriston and new solar farms in our pipeline. We can store the equivalent energy generated by solar farms during the day, and release it at night when customer demand is high.”

The 70 battery units are being supplied by Saft, based in France, and installed by Northpower. The site is expected to be operational by late 2026, and come in under its budget of $150 million.

Johns said this was the first stage of a multi-stage project that would see the Huntly Portfolio develop a battery system of up to 400 MW by FY35, in line with Genesis’ Gen35 strategy.

“Huntly is evolving as it plays a critical role in backing up the electricity system through the renewable transition, providing flexible power when hydro lakes are low, the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.”

The battery will be connected to the national grid directly from the Transpower sub-station at the Huntly site.

“This connection made Huntly ideal for installing a grid-scale battery, along with its location close to the high-demand centres of Hamilton, Auckland and Tauranga, and our fantastic local workforce,” said Johns.

“As New Zealand’s electricity supply becomes more renewable and subject to weather, this battery will help smooth out fluctuations in supply, ensuring supply remains reliable and secure.”

www.genesisenergy.com