Stoney Creek BESS

A State Significant Development (SSD) is a type of development that is considered to be of significant importance due to its size, economic value, or potential impact on the community and environment. These developments are assessed by the NSW Department of Planning, Heritage and Infrastructure rather than local councils, due to their broader significance to the state.

The SSD process involves detailed assessment, including input from relevant authorities and the surrounding community, ensuring that all potential impacts, such as environmental, traffic, community, and amenity concerns, are thoroughly considered. The goal is to ensure that projects of this scale delivers benefits while managing any potential risks to the local and broader community.

Enervest is currently awaiting the receipt of the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) as of September 2024. This marks an early stage of the planning process where the SEARs outline key environmental factors that need to be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Following the receipt of SEARs, Enervest will work with relevant government agencies to ensure all assessments and community consultations meet the required standards. This stage is crucial for gathering input from stakeholders and refining the project’s environmental considerations before moving forward to the detailed EIS preparation and public exhibition stages.

Once the SSD application is lodged, a formal public exhibition period will commence with key stakeholders and the local community.

Enervest are encouraging the local community to get involved in the Project through the planning process and are committed to ongoing engagement with the community as the project progresses.

Please contact Enervest via stoneycreek@enervest.com.au or use the ‘Get in Touch’ form below to register for project updates. Further information on how you can make a formal submission will be made available once our SSD application is in the public exhibition period.

The SSD application is accompanied by a range of additional supporting materials and technical assessments including:

• Biodiversity
• Cultural heritage
• Noise and vibration
• Traffic impact assessment
• Ground/surface water and flood risk
• Waste management
• Community and stakeholder engagement.

The Stoney Creek BESS will enhance local grid stability, support renewable energy integration, and potentially lower electricity costs. The project will attract a significant investment, with a portion \ staying in Narrabri Shire through local jobs, accommodation, and other spending. The Project will create approximately 150 full-time equivalent jobs during construction.

Enervest will also work with the local community to establish the Narrabri Development Fund, committing significant investment into the local community over the lifespan of the project. We’re creating online registers for local businesses and community groups to connect and collaborate with us.

We invite you to share your ideas on how the Project can benefit your community. Please contact us at stoneycreek@enervest.com.au or use the ‘Get in Touch’ form below.

Enervest seeks to protect and conserve Aboriginal cultural heritage by carrying out the appropriate site investigations and due diligence. Enervest has started early engagement with the Gomeroi People through the Narrabri Aboriginal Land Council, with the intention of working together to deliver this project with a mutually beneficial approach. A site walk will be completed with representatives of the Gomeroi people to identify any areas of cultural significance.

Please contact Enervest via stoneycreek@enervest.com.au to register your interest or use the ‘Supplier Register Form’ below.

This project website will be updated as the proposal progresses. Please contact the stoneycreek@enervest.com.au email address for specific queries or to subscribe to project updates or use the ‘Get in Touch’ form below.

Construction is anticipated to take 12 to 18 months to complete, weather and site conditions permitting. We will keep the community updated as the project progresses in the lead up to and during construction.

During construction, nearby residents and businesses may experience increased vehicle movements in the area, noise and dust from heavy machinery and minor vibrations.

• Changed traffic conditions: Changed traffic conditions will be in place during construction, with the use of traffic control to manage the flow of traffic, ensure pedestrian safety and maintain local access. Please take care and observe all signposting, speed limits and any directions given by Traffic Controllers.
• Noise: There will be increased levels of noise generated by heavy machinery and increased vehicle movements during construction. Enervest will put in place measures to limit the impact on local residents as much as possible. This may include scheduling works so that noisier activities occur at times when they will have the least impact.

Construction noise levels will be kept in line with relevant legislation, with noise generating activities scheduled to occur during the day and within approved working hours. Operational BESS facilities have the potential to generate noise associated with the cooling fans required to regulate the operating temperature of individual battery cells. Once operating, the BESS will be required to meet strict noise requirements and comply with the relevant environmental noise standards and/or guidelines

During construction it is expected that there will be a peak of up to 40 people on site at any one time with associated traffic, excluding deliveries. During operation, the facility will be operated remotely and will only require maintenance staff to visit the site on a weekly basis for the first six months of operations and then quarterly thereafter for one to three days at a time.

A Construction Management Plan will be prepared prior to construction starting.   During construction, some of the key construction impacts may include:

• Traffic: Construction traffic will be managed through a Traffic Management Plan (TMP)
• Noise: Construction and operational noise will meet New South Wales EPA requirements. Increased noise will be managed by putting in place measures to limit the impact on local residents as much as possible. This may include scheduling works so that noisier activities occur at times when they will have the least impact.
• Social and economic: During construction, you may find more people and vehicles around town and on the roads. This additional temporary workforce will assist in providing local towns an economic boost through spending on accommodation, food and local goods and services.

The BESS will operate for at least 20 years. Depending on the selected technology components, may be replaced, and/or upgraded to extend this timeframe.

Assessments are ongoing to determine if the site is flood-prone. In the unlikely event of stormwater flooding, where water may pool from heavy rainfall events, BESS infrastructure is expected to remain stable. Detailed stormwater management plans will ensure the BESS development works into the current contours of the landscape and does not create run-off that is detrimental to the environment. Stormwater bunds may be incorporated into the design to contain & control flood waters in 1-in-100-year events.

The safety of our workers and the broader community will always be our priority. The Proposal will not increase the risk of bushfires in the area. Management Plans are produced before construction and will include a Fire Management Plan to address the management of any potential fires in construction, operations, and decommissioning. The design and installation of the battery system are in accordance with relevant Australian standards and fire safety and emergency services guidelines and will be installed in line with the manufacturer’s requirements.

To mitigate potential fire risk from batteries the following steps are undertaken:

• The BESS has protection to avoid overcurrent or any electrical faults that can cause fire
• the plant facility will have a 24/7 Battery Management System (BMS) to monitor any change in battery cell temperature, gas, or humidity and to detect smoke or fire within the battery infrastructure
• water tanks, water pipeline systems, and fire extinguishing tools will be installed on-site
• inclusion of an asset protection zone (APZ) around the BESS
• consultation of the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) during the EIS planning stage.

Following the end of their economic life, above ground components would be removed and re-purposed where possible, and the land rehabilitated and recontoured, if and as required. Battery recycling and decommissioning involves safely extracting reusable materials from spent batteries, minimising environmental impact, and disposing of hazardous components responsibly, often through specialised recycling facilities or programs.