Storage

Energy storage systems make a significant contribution to Australia’s energy transition by providing the system-level flexibility needed to integrate more renewable generation and future-proof our electricity system.

EDF Australia’s focus will be on investing in utility scale batteries, pumped hydro energy systems (PHES) and other solutions providing long and short duration energy storage options for the market.

Pumped Hydro

The EDF Group is one of the world’s leading developer, owner, operators of PHES. In France, the 436 hydroelectric power stations and 239 large dams and water intakes operated by EDF play a part in ensuring the country’s energy supply security (around 22 GW capacity and 45 TWh annual generation).

Each year, EDF spends nearly 400 million euros (A$661M) on maintaining these facilities. Internationally recognised, EDF's hydroelectric expertise is exported around the world. The Group has acquired the ability to design, build and manage projects around the world.

EDF Hydro capabilities

5,500
Employees, including 875 at Hydro Engineering Centre

22.5 GW
Under operation with 42 TWh generation in France

430 Power
stations with over 630 dams in France
Electricity Output

1,480 km
of galleries and 267 km of penstocks

6 main PHES built,
owned and operated by EDF – 5 GW in turbine mode, 4.2 GW in pump mode

EDF possesses deep experience across the entire development lifecycle of hydroelectric facilities which we have exported to develop, own and operate projects internationally (for ourselves and others).

Our References

Australia

Dungowan PHES

New South Wales, Australia


EDF Australia has acquired and is developing the Dungowan Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project, located in the New England Renewable Energy Zone, approximately 50 km southeast of Tamworth. The project will have an expected capacity of approximately 300 MW and 10 hours of electricity storage:

  • New upper and lower reservoirs
  • An underground power station
  • Closed-loop circuit

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Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro

Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project (LLPHES) in Lithgow, NSW

EDF Australia is partnering with Energy Australia to develop this facility which would be capable of producing 385 MW of reliable dispatchable energy, enough to supply over 250,000 homes in New South Wales (NSW) for up to 8 hours.

The next phase of the Project is the submission of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which we anticipate will occur in early 2026. The EIS will be on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days and is open to submissions from the community.

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International

Grand Maison PHS

France

  • The Grand Maison turbines are used mainly to store French nuclear energy at times of low consumption and release it at times of peak consumption or high demand
  • Turbine capacity of 1800 MW
  • PHS with a pumping capacity of 1200 MW
  • Useful capacity of the lower reservoir is 14.3 million m3

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Nam Theun 2 HPP

Laos

EDF Group owns 40% of Nam Theun 2 Power Company (NTPC), which was responsible for the development, delivery and operation of the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Complex built by EDF:

  • 1,070 MW of installed capacity and a 3,6 billion m3 reservoir on the Nam Theun River
  • Commissioned in 2010 after 5 years of construction
  • The project was developed with the support of the World Bank (Nam Theun 2: Powering the Next Generation - worldbank.org)
  • The overall cost of the project was US$1.5B, including financial expenses and social and environmental support programmes

Battery

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is an energy storage system that uses a network of batteries to store electricity, when there is an excess amount of electricity in the system (due to favourable weather, or reduced demand). BESS can then release it back to the grid during peak demand periods, enhancing energy reliability and efficiency.

EDF Australia develops BESS projects across all eastern states of Australia, both as standalone installations and as collocated systems alongside its wind and solar projects. Our experience enables us to hybridize battery with renewable energy projects. We engage with communities and local stakeholders as well as with network operators and large energy users to ensure that our projects are aligned with their needs and expectations.

BESS is a complementary component of the energy transition, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and contributing to grid stability. Australia has significant potential and a growing requirement for energy storage solutions in various forms, and we aim to contribute to this development in a responsible manner.

Our References

Desert Quartzite

United States of America

  • Context & goal: Desert Quartzite, located on Federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Riverside County, California, is designed to store electricity during peak hours for solar generation in a series of batteries. This stored energy is then dispatched later in the day or night to help manage capacity demand, creating a balance between electricity generation and demand
  • Project: 300 MWac solar project combined with a 150 MW/600 MWh Li-ion battery under a 20-year PPA with Clean Power Alliance (CPA)

Emerging storage technologies

EDF Australia has a long-term investment profile and is assessing all technologies available to support the energy transition in Australia. There are several emerging long duration (8hrs+) storage technologies that have the potential to support the decarbonisation needs of major industrial players.