Bega Valley Energy Resilience Project

  • Project typeWater and Sewer
  • Project value$1,831,500.00
  • Project scheduleIn Progress
  • Completion Date11 June 2027
Industrial building exterior with a white cube marking proposed equipment location.

Project Summary

The Bega Valley Energy Resilience Project will deliver energy upgrades across three essential Council Water and Sewer facilities:

  • Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) installed at Bega Water Pump Station (WPS), Merimbula Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), and Bega Reservoir Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and office.
  • EV charging infrastructure. Five dual-port 22kW EV chargers will be installed at the Bega Reservoir Water Treatment Plant and office.
  • Batteries will be configured for load shifting, peak demand reduction, and participation in Demand Response and Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS), supporting a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) approach.

Purpose

This project aims to:

  • Improve the energy resilience of critical water and sewer operations
  • Reduce Council operational energy costs and peak demand charges
  • Cut greenhouse gas emissions, including enabling early steps toward establishing a Council EV fleet
  • Build Council and local contractor capability in modern energy infrastructure.
  • Generate revenue for Council to offset costs.

Funding

Total project expenditure: $1,831,500

  • Grant funding secured: $915,750
  • Council contribution: $915,750 (Water and Sewer Services budget)

Community Strategic Plan (CSP) link

This project is connected to Council's Community Strategic Plan.

This project helps to deliver on our infrastructure strategic objective: D.1 - Plan and provide for waste, water, sewerage and stormwater infrastructure and services that will meet current and future needs. Investment in solar across our water and sewer network is also outlined in our Delivery Plan 2025-2029 Capital Program. Appendix-1_-capital-program_-2025-2029-delivery-plan-adopted-23june2025.pdf(PDF, 1MB)

Questions with Answers

What is being installed and where?

Battery systems will be installed at three Council Water and Sewer sites (Bega WPS, Merimbula STP, Bega WTP/Office). EV chargers will be installed at the Bega WTP/Office site.

Why batteries at water and sewer sites?

These facilities are essential services with large electricity loads. Batteries aim to help reduce peak demand, shift load, and reduce costs and emissions via electric vehicles.

What benefits will the community see?

Lower net operating costs for Council (supporting reinvestment into services) and emissions reductions supporting regional energy transition leadership.

Will the batteries support the grid?

Yes. Batteries are proposed to participate in Demand Response and FCAS, providing grid services and potential revenue streams.

What emissions and cost reductions are expected?

The project estimates annual net savings of approximately $270,000 and annual emissions reductions of about 80 tonnes.

 

 

Contact details

Water and Sewer Services – Project Delivery
02 6499 2222
council@begavalley.nsw.gov.au

Timeline of works

  • February 2026 – June 2026: Design development
  • June 2026 – January 2027: Project planning and Request for Tender (RFT)
  • January 2027 – May 2027: Construction phase (delivery/installation/testing/grid connection)
  • May 2027 – June 2027: Project closing phase (training, handover, documentation, lessons learned)
  • 11 June 2027: Expected completion.
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