A major new Tesla Megapack-powered energy storage project in Queensland, Australia, has officially entered its commissioning phase. Publicly owned energy company CleanCo Queensland recently announced that its 250 MW/500 MWh Swanbank Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has been registered with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and is now undergoing testing — reports Energy-Storage.News.
The project, valued at approximately $330 million AUD ($214 million USD), began construction back in February 2024. Located at the site of the former Swanbank coal power station — roughly 45 km southwest of Brisbane — the new battery project marks a significant step in Queensland’s transition away from fossil fuels.
Commissioned in 1971 and decommissioned in 2012, the Swanbank B coal station once housed four 120 MW steam turbines. Today, the site is being reborn as a clean energy hub, with future plans including potential wind, solar, hydrogen, and additional battery infrastructure.
Tesla supplied its Megapack system for the project, while local firm Yurika handled installation and supporting infrastructure. The Megapack is Tesla’s flagship utility-scale energy storage product, engineered to stabilize electricity grids and support renewable integration by storing excess energy from solar and wind generation for use when demand peaks.
The Swanbank project benefits from existing grid connections, using a newly built 275 kV substation that ties into the legacy coal transmission network — significantly reducing costs and deployment time. Commissioning is expected to continue through late 2025, with full commercial operation targeted for early 2026.
Australia remains one of Tesla Energy’s strongest markets. Just last month, Tesla delivered 224 Megapacks for the Orana BESS in New South Wales, which will eventually total 448 Megapacks (415 MW/1,660 MWh), and deployed its first China-built Megapacks at a $285 million project in the country. The company also powered the completion of the 2.2 GWh Collie BESS in Western Australia in August.
Tesla recently unveiled the next-generation Megapack 3, featuring 5 MWh of usable AC energy per unit and a redesigned system architecture that boosts installation speed, efficiency, and long-term reliability.
With the Swanbank battery now entering the final stretch before commercial operation, Queensland’s clean energy transformation continues to accelerate — powered by Tesla’s growing Megapack fleet.
