NSW Launches RE & Storage Tender

• AEMO Services has launched the 3^rd tender under NSW's Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap
• It seeks 950 MW wind and solar and 550 MW pumped hydro and battery storage capacity
• Projects unsuccessful in the 1^st auction round can re-submit high quality bids under this round

The State of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, through AEMO Services, has launched its 3^rd tender round for renewable energy generation and long duration storage (LDS) infrastructure, this time seeking a minimum of around 2,500 GWh or 950 MW wind and solar generation and 550 MW pumped hydro and battery storage.

This is part of the state's plans to roll out competitive tenders for the next 10 years under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap whose inaugural tender was auctioned recently with the selection of 1.4 GW renewable energy capacity (see Australia Completes 1^st Roadmap Tender Process).

The latest tender round is open to all projects that meet the eligibility criteria of being in the NSW region of the National Electricity Market (NEM). It is designed to recommend quality projects capable of delivering infrastructure that is in the long-term financial interests of the consumers.

Eligibility criteria for projects are broadly as follows:

• Generation facilities must have a minimum generation capacity of 30 MW
• Storage projects must have a capacity of at least 8 hours
• These should have received a Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEAR) or lodged a Development Approval application.
• Must have a connection agreement or a response from the network service provider to a connection enquiry.

AEMO Services Chair Paul Moy said the agency worked for over 12 months in the lead-up to the 1^st tender to streamline the process and design new products. The 2^nd tender round is for firming infrastructure which is currently underway.

"The first tender also demonstrates the depth of the pipeline of projects that are well placed to re-submit high quality bids in this tender. We anticipate that many of these projects will be able to improve their bids and be successful," added Moy.

Launched on May 22, 2023, the tender will remain open for registrations till June 16, 2023 while project bid closing date is June 25, 2023. Winners will be selected in December this year, according to tender timeline.