Top WA Electrical and Tech News for May 17, 2026

Welcome to this week’s roundup of the most important developments in Western Australia’s energy sector. The state is accelerating its clean energy transition with major project approvals, updated rules for household systems, and forward-looking grid planning — all aimed at delivering reliable, affordable power as demand grows.

Ten Major Clean Energy Projects Approved in Significant Grid Boost

The Australian Government has announced the results of Tenders 5 and 6 under the Capacity Investment Scheme, approving ten new renewable energy and battery projects for Western Australia. These initiatives will add substantial generation and storage capacity to the Wholesale Electricity Market.

• 1.886 GW of new renewable electricity generation and 3.683 GWh of standalone battery storage across the ten projects.
• Includes major wind farms such as the 470 MW Parron Maam Marang, 420 MW Yathroo, and 240 MW Tathra, plus hybrid solar-battery developments like the Killawarra project.
• Expected to create more than 7,000 construction jobs and over 500 ongoing operations and maintenance roles annually.
• Will supply enough electricity for more than one million WA households and provide peak demand support for up to 400,000 homes for four hours.

Read original source

New Rules for Rooftop Solar and Battery Systems Now in Effect

From 1 May 2026, updated connection requirements apply to all new and upgraded small-scale solar and battery installations across the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). The changes are designed to improve integration of distributed energy resources while enabling new customer opportunities.

• Households and small businesses on standard connections can now install inverters up to 30 kVA (or aggregate 30 kVA for multi-inverter sites).
• Systems must support remote disconnection and reconnection by the electricity retailer, or alternatively limit exports to 1.5 kW.
• All inverters must comply with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 and the “Australia Region B” grid code setting.
• Changes will help customers participate in virtual power plants and access new revenue streams from flexible energy services.

Read original source

SWIS Transmission Plan Charts Course for Renewables Integration

Energy Policy WA and Western Power continue to advance the South West Interconnected System Transmission Plan, which outlines critical network upgrades needed to support the influx of new wind, solar, and battery projects while preparing for the retirement of older generators.

• Focuses on expanding transmission infrastructure to connect new clean energy developments and enhance grid reliability.
• Emphasises local manufacturing opportunities for transmission components and critical minerals for battery storage.
• Builds on modelling from the Whole of System Plan and recent demand assessments to future-proof WA’s main electricity system.

Read original source

Strong Momentum in Large-Scale Battery Storage Deployment

Recent project approvals and development applications highlight Western Australia’s accelerating rollout of grid-scale batteries. These systems are becoming central to managing the transition away from coal and stabilising the grid amid growing renewable penetration.

• Newly approved projects include the Collie Battery and Solar Hybrid (200 MW / 1,518 MWh) and Yathroo Battery (200 MW / 1,600 MWh).
• A 250 MW / 1,000 MWh battery proposal has been submitted for Baldivis, targeting direct connection to Western Power’s 330 kV transmission network.
• Batteries are increasingly viewed as essential “shock absorbers” for both utility-scale and distribution networks.

Read original source