Eraring Battery Energy Storage System and Ash Dam Stabilisation
Origin Energy is progressing a staged Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Eraring Power Station in the Newcastle/Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales, as part of the site’s transition from coal-fired generation towards new storage and flexible energy infrastructure.
Our team supported Origin during the early stages of the Eraring BESS project lifecycle, providing business case development and final investment decision support for the large-scale battery.
At the same site, our project specialists also supported the stabilisation of the Eraring Ash Dam’s southern embankment, providing end-to-end project management and quality assurance services from design through construction. Together, these projects show how practical project leadership and assurance can support both the energy transition and the safe management of existing generation assets.
The challenge
The Eraring site is a critical part of New South Wales’ energy system. As the market shifts towards renewable generation, large-scale storage is needed to help capture energy, provide firming capacity and support grid stability when renewable output is variable.
For Origin, the early stages of the BESS required clear business case thinking and investment decision support for a major storage project within an established, operational power station environment. This meant considering the project’s role in the wider market transition while keeping focus on deliverability, reliability and long-term site use.
In parallel, the ash dam stabilisation works involved a different but connected challenge: safely managing legacy infrastructure at the Eraring site. Geotechnical assessments had identified stability risks associated with the southern embankment in a seismic event, requiring a carefully managed program of ground improvement and embankment strengthening works.
Our approach
For the BESS, our team supported Origin through the early project lifecycle, helping develop the business case and supporting the pathway to final investment decision. This work helped frame the project’s role in supporting energy reliability, affordability and transition planning.
For the ash dam stabilisation project, our project managers and quality specialists provided end-to-end support across design and construction. This included managing the design and construct contract, coordinating the project team, monitoring scope and schedule, managing risks and issues, and reporting progress to senior Origin stakeholders.
Our quality assurance role included developing and administering project management plans, reviewing contractor quality management systems, setting up the construction quality assurance framework and maintaining the quality records needed to support delivery confidence.
Across both projects, the focus was practical and delivery-led: helping Origin make informed decisions, maintain control of risk, and progress work safely within a complex operating energy environment.
The result
Our support helped Origin progress the Eraring BESS through its early investment pathway while maintaining delivery confidence across related site works at Eraring.
The BESS has since advanced as a staged project, with the NSW planning approval providing for a standalone battery storage system and associated infrastructure at the Eraring site. Origin has also progressed staged development of the battery, supporting the site’s transition and its ongoing role in the National Electricity Market.
The ash dam stabilisation work strengthened the southern embankment through ground improvement and buttress works, supporting long-term asset safety and compliance with relevant dam safety requirements.
Together, the projects demonstrate how our team supports energy clients through both future-focused transition projects and the disciplined management of existing infrastructure. At Eraring, that means helping support new storage capacity while managing the legacy assets that remain critical to safe and reliable operations.
