A five megawatt battery is being installed on the outskirts of Warrnambool but the project has sparked concerns from neighbours who say they've had no chance to object.
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Construction work on ACEnergy's new battery energy storage system (BESS) off Caramut Road kicked off this week leaving neighbours with "major concerns" about the potential for fire and visual impact.
The project - on Briars Lane - will include four 20-foot battery containers and is set to be operational by April 2025.
In a group statement from some of the residents, neighbours say there had been "no chance for input or objection" and communication had been minimal.
The project falls under a relatively new exemption which was brought in by the state government in May 2022 in a bid to improve network reliability as part of Victoria's renewable energy transition.
The planning amendment gives "minor utility" projects such as neighbourhood batteries an exemption from permit requirements - bringing them into line with other energy infrastructure such as powerlines and substations.
But while the company said there were no specific community consultation requirements for the development, immediate neighbours had been notified and engaged with.
A spokesperson for the Warrnambool BESS project said the company had consulted with the council and Department of Transport and Planning to ensure it had met all project requirements.
"We are in ongoing communication with project neighbours and members of the local community to ensure that any existing concerns are heard and addressed," the spokesperson said.
The facility will connect to the existing network with the battery charging during high solar generation times making use of solar power from the area.
It will discharge power within evening peaks, helping to supply Warrnambool with readily available electricity during those times.
The company spokesperson said the project had been carefully selected to minimise environmental impact and maximise existing energy transmission infrastructure.
"It will play a key role in decarbonising Victoria's energy system whilst keeping the lights on," the spokesperson said.
"We have taken great care to ensure that all regulations have been adhered to and that environmental impacts are minimal."
The company said screening was proposed around the entire project boundary to mitigate visual impact.
It said battery units would be equipped with advanced fire suppression systems, including aerosol fire suppressants, combustible gas detectors, smoke detectors, and temperature detectors, which are designed to detect and extinguish fires promptly.
"This ensures a rapid response to any potential fire threats, mitigating risks to the facility," the company says.
"We are careful to utilise quality lithium-Ion phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are recognised as being one of the safest commercially available battery technologies."
The company also said there were components of the project that emit noise but an acoustic model had been prepared and the results did not exceed regulations.
A Warrnambool City Council spokesman said the CFA had recently made it aware that at least one resident had received notification about a possible electrical battery installation.
"Council has not received any notification or application from the project proponent," the spokesman said.
"At this stage it is unknown whether council or the Victorian government would be the approval authority in the event an application to install a large scale battery is made."
Civil works such as drainage and fencing on the Victorian renewable energy company's project will be completed onsite by the end of next week.
The government has been contacted for comment.
Katrina Lovell
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
