The State Electricity Commission (SEC) of the Australian State of Victoria has announced an AUD43m (USD31m) investment to acquire a minority stake in the 400 MW/1.86 GWh Baranduda Electrical Energy Reserve project in Victoria, Australia (Victoria’s SEC press release, 17/09/2026). The investment also includes a 15-year offtake agreement for 50% of the project’s output to support Victorian Government and commercial energy retail contracts. The remaining 50% is allocated to Victoria’s merchant electricity market.
The project is part of the Birdwood Energy Storage and Transition (BEST) platform, a JV between Aware Super and Birdwood. It comprises four independently connected 100 MW/465 MWh units with a discharge duration of up to 4.65 hours, next to the Wodonga Terminal Station on the Victoria-New South Wales 330 kV interconnector.
Construction is scheduled to start in November 2026, with operations targeted for late 2028. The system is expected to store surplus renewable electricity and supply more than 200,000 homes during evening peak periods.