Energy and resources minister Lily D’Ambrosio was on hand to open the two megawatt battery which is housed in a 40 foot shipping container.

The $8 million investment will be capable of providing power to 3000 customers for up to an hour in the case of a blackout.  The backup is expected to reduce Buninyong resident’s blackout time by around four-and-a-half hours a year.

Powercor Australia’s general manager for electricity networks Steven Neave said the battery would play a crucial role in reducing the toll on the main line during peak demand periods.

“This has been a poor performing feeder in terms of unplanned outages over the years,” Mr Neave said.  “Traditionally we would respond to a poor performing feeder with very expensive augmentation works, but  this is seen as an alternate way of supplying additional support to customers.”

The battery will also allow Powercor to maintain power to the bulk of its customers during incidents such as a crash into a power pole, by isolating one half of the line.  

The battery is also portable, meaning Powercor has the ability to shift the storage system if it could provide greater inefficiencies elsewhere along the line.

Ms D’Ambrosio labelled the battery a “fantastic piece of new technology”, and commended Powercor for its willingness to invest in innovative power sources.

“I commend Powercor for their vision in looking at this very innovative battery storage technology which will increase the reliability of the electricity for 6400 residents in the Buninyong area.”

While the project had received some initial support from the state government’s Demand Management Incentive Scheme, the battery was fully funded by Powercor.

While Powercor has no current plans to install more batteries throughout its network, Mr Neave said the company would use the Buninyong site as a test for possible future expansion. 

“We want to get this one up and running to understand how it operates and how it helps the network to see if other installations would help.”

Powercor will begin running tests on the battery in April, with plans to have it fully operational by the middle of the year.