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Category: News
Community Information Sessions
📢 INVERELL BESS – A Cleaner Future For Australia
The Project has now moved into the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase, which allows for the full assessment of the merits of the proposed BESS.
South Energy Invites you to attend an information session where you can learn more about the Project’s Progress, share your insights and provide valuable feedback.
If you are unable to attend, we welcome feedback from interested community members via our online survey.
- 🗓 First Session Date: 28 July 2026
- ⏰ Time: anytime between 3:00pm – 7:00 pm
- 📍 Venue: The Inverell Club-Corner of Campbell & Evans St Inverell NSW
- 🗓 Second Session Date: 29 July 2026
- ⏰ Time: anytime between 7.00 am – 11:00 am
- 📍 Venue: The Union Cafe (outside)- 79 Otho St Inverell NSW
Project Update: EIS commences
Hello,
We’d like to share an update on the proposed Inverell Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), planned for a site approximately 5 km east of the Inverell town centre, across Fisher Road from the existing Transgrid 132kV Substation, south of the Gwydir Highway.
In this update, we outline the Project’s development progress, the next steps in the NSW State Significant Development (SSD) application process, how you can continue to engage with us, and how electricity storage supports Australia’s national energy security.
What is in this update:
- Project overview
- Project update
- What’s next
- EIS community engagement plan
- Energy storage and security
- How to stay in touch
The Project
South Energy is proposing the development of the Inverell BESS. The Project involves the construction, operation and eventual decommissioning of a battery with a capacity of up to approximately 150MW / 1200MWh (8 hours).
A BESS of this scale could provide continuous power to around 52,500 homes and would supply electricity directly into the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Based on the Project’s scale and capital investment value, it is being assessed under the NSW State Significant Development (SSD) planning pathway, with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) as the consent authority responsible for determining whether the Project is approved or refused.
Project update
Following our last correspondence in December 2025, where we advised that the NSW Planning Secretary had issued the Project’s Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), the Project has now progressed to the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
For a quick refresher on the information previously shared, please click the link below to visit the Project website.
(Inverell BESS Update – SEARs issued – Inverell Battery Energy Storage System)
So far in 2026, South Energy has engaged a noise and system design specialist to start early investigations and design the preliminary layout for the Project infrastructure. This layout will continue to be revised and reviewed by specialists during the EIS phase, ensuring that all requirements by the SEARs are fully addressed and reflected.
The EIS is the primary assessment document for State Significant Development (SSD) projects like the Inverell BESS. The Project is currently in the EIS preparation stage, which is step four of the nine-step development application process.
Please see the NSW SSD project timeline graphic below, including anticipated milestone dates:
We recognise that the technical language used in NSW planning legislation can sometimes be complex and difficult to navigate. Our aim is to communicate consistently and clearly, making the SSD process as accessible and easy to understand as possible, so you feel informed and confident to engage with us throughout the process.
What’s next: The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
The EIS is a detailed assessment that examines the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of the Project while also identifying measures to avoid, minimise or manage these impacts.
The EIS allows us to fully assess the merits of the Project while engaging with the surrounding communities to better understand issues, shape the Project and inform opportunities to share Project benefits locally. The EIS assessments have commenced and will continue over the coming months. The EIS will include specialist impact assessment reports, such as:
- Visual impact
- Noise
- Biodiversity
- Heritage
- Hydrology
- Traffic and transport
- Social & economic impact
- Bushfire & Hazards
- Water & Soils
South Energy aims to submit the EIS report to the DPHI in mid to late-2026. Community and stakeholder engagement over the coming months will be summarised within the EIS, along with the outcomes of the specialist reports outlined above.
Once the EIS is submitted, it will be placed on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days. During this time, the community and government agencies will be invited to provide feedback on the Project. The Project team will then respond to any issues, comments or concerns raised by the community and key stakeholders via a Submissions Report. DPHI will then make a recommendation on whether the Project should be approved.
EIS Community engagement
We would like to reiterate that your feedback is important to us. It plays a key role in shaping the Project, informing environmental and technical assessments, and identifying potential community initiatives the Project could support. South Energy is committed to ensuring the local community has meaningful opportunities to participate and provide input, and we look forward to engaging with you during this next phase of the Project.
The Project team will commence the community engagement program during the EIS preparation phase, incorporating learnings from the earlier Scoping phase. This will include:
- Community engagement activities in the local area
- Near-neighbour meetings (by request) to discuss specific Project matters
- Presentations to key stakeholder groups, including Inverell Shire Council and Members of Parliament
- Engagement with local media to share Project updates and opportunities to get involved
- A community feedback survey
- Ongoing monitoring of the dedicated Project enquiry inbox (info@inverellbess.com.au)
- Social Impact Assessment (SIA) research, including targeted interviews to explore potential impacts and opportunities.
EIS assessment studies are currently underway, and in order to provide the community with information in addition to what was shared during the Scoping phase, the next round of Inverell community engagement activities are likely to be in mid-2026. We will be providing further detail and notice of this over the coming months, as Project EIS assessments progress.
Energy storage and Australia’s energy security
We recognise that renewable energy, battery storage, and the Project raise important questions for the community. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that Australia needs stronger energy security as electricity demand grows and the energy system transitions from traditional fossil fuels to renewable sources such as solar and wind, supported by battery storage.
Recent global events have highlighted the vulnerability of traditional energy sources to international supply disruptions. Rising oil prices and increasing uptake of electric vehicles are also contributing to greater demand for reliable, readily available electricity. In response, there is a growing focus on building more resilient and future-ready energy systems.
Renewable energy, supported by decentralised battery storage systems like the Inverell BESS, can help strengthen energy security by enabling power to be generated, stored, and used more efficiently across the network. As older coal-fired power stations retire and fuel and gas prices fluctuate, alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly important to maintaining a reliable and affordable electricity supply. This direction of electrical system planning is well-reflected in Australia Energy Market Operation (AEMO)’s annual Integrated System Plan (ISP). Please see the latest Draft ISP 2026 here.
Australia’s abundant solar and wind resources present opportunities to support regional jobs, local businesses, and broader economic growth. While there are understandably different views on how best to achieve this transition, there is a shared goal of delivering a more secure, reliable, and resilient energy future for Australia and its communities.
Stay in touch
We thank you for your engagement throughout this process. If you have any questions about the Project, feedback on the information provided, or suggestions on how we can better engage with the community in the coming months, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
To contact our team:
Phone: +61 3 8842 6888
Email: info@inverellbess.com.au
Website: https://inverellbess.com.au/
Kind regards,
The Inverell BESS Project Team | South Energy
If you would no longer like to receive information from South Energy about the Project, please notify our team at info@inverellbess.com.au
Inverell BESS Update – SEARs issued
South Energy would like to inform you that the Inverell BESS SEARs is now available on the NSW Major Projects Portal:
View the Inverell BESS SEARs here
Following the submission of the Inverell Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Scoping Report in November 2025, the NSW Planning Secretary has issued the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs).
The SEARs outline the assessments required for the next phase of the Project — the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which is scheduled to commence in January 2026. Key assessments identified in the SEARs include biodiversity, heritage, visual impacts, noise, hazards, water and soils, and social impacts, among others.
This next stage of the State Significant Development (SSD) application process will enable a much greater level of detail to be developed and understood across a range of matters raised by the community. We will continue to communicate the outcomes of these assessments as information becomes available in the new year.
Our next Project update will also aim to provide more detail on when the Project team will be in Inverell for the next round of community engagement sessions, including opportunities to share and discuss available EIS information.
November 2025 Project team, Neighbour Group and MP Meeting
In late November 2025, the Inverell BESS Project team held a meeting with members from the Alliance of Directly Impacted Neighbours (ADAN) group and Mr Brendan Moylan, NSW MP for the Northern Tablelands to provide a Project update and respond to questions raised by the group.
The meeting focused on a range of topics relating to Project design, site selection, indicative timelines, potential impacts, and how these will be assessed as the Project progresses into the EIS phase. Discussions also centred on issues of particular importance to near neighbours, including noise, visual impacts, vegetation management, fire safety and emergency procedures, stormwater controls, property values, and future engagement opportunities.
During the meeting, the Project team emphasised that detailed investigations—such as noise modelling, landscape and visual impact assessment, biodiversity surveys, and fire safety studies—will commence in early 2026. These technical studies will ultimately inform the Project’s final layout, proposed mitigation measures, and any additional commitments that may be required to minimise impacts on neighbouring properties.
Completed and upcoming biodiversity surveys
In November 2025, the Project’s ecology team completed a targeted round of biodiversity surveys across the proposed Project Site.
The surveys focused on identifying the presence of threatened reptile species, including the Pale-headed Snake, Zig-zag Velvet Gecko and Border Thick-tailed Gecko. Survey sites were inspected during both day and night over four consecutive days; however, no threatened reptile species were detected.
Further biodiversity surveys are planned for January 2026. During this period, the ecology team will again visit the Site over multiple days to survey for threatened January-flowering flora species, including Finger Panic Grass, Bluegrass, Belson’s Panic, Bailey’s Indigo and Hawkweed. Additional koala surveys will also be undertaken during this time.
Future Community Engagement Sessions
With the SEARs now received, we will be able to confirm our anticipated engagement timeline in the new year and look forward to updating you when we have more information about our next visit to the Inverell area.
If you have any specific questions, please contact the Project team, and we will do our best to provide answers.
If you know someone who would like to stay informed, please encourage them to share their email address with us. This will be our primary method of communication leading up to the next information sessions in 2026
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
We wish you a wonderful Christmas and festive season, and a safe and healthy New Year.
Thank you for your continued interest and involvement with the Project.
Stay In Touch
As always, we thank you for your engagement with us through this process.
To contact our team:
E: info@inverellbess.com.au
P: (03) 8842 6888
W: https://inverellbess.com.au/
Kind regards,
Inverell BESS Project Team
South Energy
Scoping Report Published
South Energy would like to inform you that the Inverell BESS Scoping Report is now available on the NSW Major Projects Portal:
The Inverell BESS Scoping Report
The Scoping Report outlines the indicative design, key environmental and social considerations, and proposed approach to further assessments that will form part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Community input and sentiment are summarised in the Engagement Summary Report chapter; however, social considerations are also integrated throughout the wider Scoping Report.
The Scoping Report is shared via the Portal with relevant key agencies to review and provide comment, which will inform the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs). These key agencies will include organisations such as the Inverell Shire Council, Transport for NSW, relevant emergency services, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and others.
The SEARs will outline the specific studies and assessments required to inform the preparation of the EIS. We expect to receive the SEARs in the next four weeks, hopefully in early December.
You can view the Scoping Report, the SEARs (when available) and find more information on the NSW Major Projects Portal here:
Biodiversity & Land Survey Completed
Within October, the Biodiveristy team at NGH has completed the second surveys on targeted threatened fauna species. The results will be presented as part of our Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) which will be submitted with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) application in the next phase of the project. Following surveys will continue throughout November 2025 and January 2026 to ensure all the threatened fauna and flora species are accounted for.
Concurrently, the Land Survey team from Fyfe also completed a detailed land survey and mapping, which would allow us to better understand the site topography, elevations and key features.
Future Community Engagement Sessions
We anticipate that we will be undertaking engagement activities in the new year, and this timeline will become clearer once SEARs are received, and environmental assessments progress.
More details on these sessions will be shared in early 2026. However, should you have any specific questions, please contact the Project team, and we will work to answer them.
Should you know of anyone else who wishes to stay in the loop, please encourage them to share their email address with us, as this will be our primary mode of communication, before our next information sessions in Inverell in 2026.
State Significant Development (SSD) Process
We understand that there is a lot of information to work through in these reports, and that technical language can sometimes be exclusionary for communities. For this reason, we intend to work with the community during our next engagement sessions to discuss assessment outcomes, design considerations, and social aspects of the Project, among other topics.
We would also like to reiterate that we have only just completed step two of the nine-step NSW SSD process (as outlined below). There will be multiple opportunities for community engagement and feedback before the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure makes a final decision on the Project’s approval or rejection.
As always, we thank you for your engagement with us throughout this process.
To contact our team:
Phone: 03 8842 6888
Email: info@inverellbess.com.au
Website: https://inverellbess.com.au/
September Community Newsletter – Thank you and Project update
We would like to provide you with some important updates and summaries of our activities regarding the proposed Inverell Battery Project so far.
Community information events
Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet us, connect with us and ask questions last month at our community information sessions at both the Inverell Club, and at Freckles Café.
The sessions were a valuable opportunity for us to discuss the proposed Inverell BESS with community members, nearby residents, and local groups. We heard a wide range of views, and these insights will play a key role in shaping the project and its associated assessments as we move forward towards submitting the project’s Scoping Report and then commencing the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
We recognise the strong passion within the community and the depth of feeling expressed during the sessions. It’s clear there is a deep connection to the region, and a shared determination to ensure the land, landscape and the environment is respected and cared for, and no undue risk is presented to the community. We acknowledge and respect these perspectives and will work with you all as the proposed Inverell BESS progresses.
Community feedback survey
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the community survey. We received over 750 responses, which is a strong show of community engagement. Your time and input are greatly appreciated, and we do not take them for granted. Community feedback allows us to understand the community in far greater depth than we would have without your inputs.
What we heard
Many important questions have been raised from the community sessions, community survey, phone calls, emails, neighbour and stakeholder meetings, and we are working to address key concerns to include in a program of project updates, which we intend to be issuing via email regularly as the project progresses and assessment outcomes become clearer. We appreciate your patience.
Community members and stakeholders expressed concerns primarily focused on the following areas:
- Fire risk management and surrounding emergency planning.
- The visual impact to near neighbouring homes.
- The location of the proposed project considering its vicinity to residential areas, a national park and surrounding environment, an under-construction school, and the greater Inverell town.
- Pollution of the surrounding environment, from industrial material exposure during construction and in an emergency event.
- Impacts to property value, both residential and agricultural.
- Noise from both operations and construction, and the impact to peace, quiet and overall health of near neighbours and biodiversity alike.
- The consultation process, such as the initial notification process, the notification radius and the availability of information about impacts in the Scoping phase.
These and other concerns shared during the sessions are being taken seriously. Each issue raised will be carefully considered and investigated as part of the project’s ongoing planning and assessment processes.
Along with these points of concern, we have also received messages of support and interest from the community, about future employment opportunities, and community support and development opportunities, all of which we have noted, we thank you and will continue to engage on these topics also.
We are committed to continuing these conversations and will provide further information in our program of newsletter updates. These points will also be raised in the Engagement Summary Report as a part of the project’s Scoping Report lodgement to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI).
Over the next 12 to 15 months, as assessments are undertaken, we will continue to provide updates and share more detailed information to address common questions and concerns.
What happens next
The next step is the lodging of the Scoping Report, which the Project team will be doing later this month (September 2025). Once submitted, the DPHI will evaluate the Scoping Report and issue the Secretary Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) within 28 days. This issuance of SEARs signals the start of the EIS phase of the project.
You will be notified once the Scoping Report is lodged and available for view on the Major Projects Portal.
Opportunities for future discussion
One opportunity we see as a future point of discussion with the community is a Community Benefit Scheme (CBS). A CBS is a legislated requirement for large-scale projects such as the Inverell BESS and are designed to allow different benefit-sharing arrangements to distribute the proceeds of renewable energy projects to neighbours, local communities and regional communities around a proposed development.
When considering a CBS, we understand that administering these benefits as locally to Inverell as possible is a high priority, to ensure that benefits from the project are not only felt by South Energy but rather can be shared with the Inverell community.
We were provided with some fantastic ideas of what could be involved within the CBS, primarily through the community survey, and these will be outlined within the EIS. Discussions regarding the CBS will be held during meetings with Council (outlining what we have heard from the community and what suggestions have been raised).
We encourage you to continue to provide ideas that may contribute to the CBS using the contact details detailed at the end of this correspondence, and engage with us on these topics at all future engagement events.
The Benefit Sharing Guideline is available here, and provides information to developers, councils and communities about how benefit sharing should be incorporated into any development of large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects in NSW.
Biodiversity survey
We would like to inform you of our most recent assessment works. In August, a biodiversity team consisting of 2 ecologists conducted the first phase of a biodiversity survey on the grassland, woodland and wildlife of the Project area. The list of species includes Owls, Koalas, Squirrel Gliders, Glossy Black Cockatoos and further examination of the current grassland and hollow bearing tree.
This was done over 7 days and 6 nights to allow sufficient sampling and evidence to inform our biodiversity assessment. Further surveys will take place throughout the year to ensure all the flora and fauna species on and around the Project site, have been accounted for.
About South Energy
South Energy, founded in 2018, is an Australian developer focusing on developing, building, and operating utility-scale renewable energy projects. Backed by Growland Group, an Australian leading property group with operations across the investment, development and management landscape, South Energy is well-supported to manage and deliver large-scale renewable energy projects in response to Australia’s initiatives for a net-zero carbon economy.
South Energy has developed five projects across Victoria and two projects in Western Australia, with a total capacity of over 1GW (gigawatt), and aim to continue growing their portfolio by delivering a total of 3GW over the next five years using various technologies that include, solar, wind, battery energy storage and hydrogen.
How to learn more and provide feedback
We’re committed to providing clear, accessible information and engaging with the community at every stage of the project. Please contact our team should you have any questions, using the details below:
P: (03) 8842 6888
Inverell Community Drop-in Session and Coffee Chat on 30-31 July
Please join South Energy and our consultant representatives from NGH Consulting for the community information sessions about the Inverell BESS project. We will be answering all your pressing questions and concerns regarding the proposed project’s development.
Date:
Wednesday 30 July 2025
Drop in anytime between:
3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Inverell Club
1-3 Evans Street
Inverell NSW 2360
Date:
Thursday 31 July 2025
Drop in anytime between:
7:00 am – 12:00 pm
Freckles Café
102 -104 Byron Street
Inverell NSW 2360