First Stage of Australia’s Second-Biggest Battery Starts Commercial Operations in the Sunshine State
•February 16, 2026
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Companies Mentioned
Why It Matters
Supernode’s scale and long‑term financing demonstrate accelerating investment in grid‑scale storage, essential for meeting Queensland’s peak‑demand and Australia’s renewable transition. Its partnership model also signals growing confidence from utilities in large‑scale battery tolling as a revenue source.
Key Takeaways
- •Stage‑1 Supernode 260 MW/619 MWh now operational
- •Project aims for 780 MW/3,074 MWh by 2027
- •Origin Energy has 12‑year tolling for Stages 1‑2
- •Financing represents Australia’s largest standalone BESS debt deal
- •Stage 4 will host Quinbrook’s EnerQB long‑duration storage
Pulse Analysis
Australia’s grid is under increasing pressure to balance rising renewable generation with evening peak demand, and large‑scale battery storage is emerging as a critical solution. The Supernode project, located at the South Pine substation, adds 260 MW of dispatchable capacity that can shave peaks for nearly 190,000 households. By delivering power during high‑price periods, the battery not only stabilises the network but also creates a new revenue stream for energy retailers through tolling agreements, a model that is gaining traction across the National Electricity Market.
The Supernode rollout is notable for its ambitious scale and financing structure. Quinbrook’s investment of over $1.4 billion for the first three stages, coupled with the largest standalone BESS debt financing in Australian history, underscores strong investor confidence. Origin Energy’s 12‑year off‑take contracts for the initial stages guarantee a steady cash flow, while the partnership with Private Energy Partners ensures local procurement and job creation in South‑East Queensland. These elements collectively reduce project risk and set a benchmark for future utility‑scale storage developments.
Looking ahead, Supernode’s planned Stage 4 will introduce Quinbrook’s EnerQB long‑duration storage technology, a partnership with CATL that could extend discharge times well beyond conventional batteries. This capability is pivotal for deep‑renewable integration, providing firming services when solar and wind output wanes. As Supernode and competing projects like the Eraring battery vie for the title of the nation’s largest storage asset, the market is likely to see accelerated deployment, tighter pricing, and broader adoption of tolling models, all of which will shape Australia’s energy transition over the next decade.
First stage of Australia’s second-biggest battery starts commercial operations in the Sunshine State
First stage of one of the biggest batteries under development in Australia starts commercial operations
The first stage of one of the biggest batteries under development in Australia has started commercial operations, on track to becoming a 780 megawatt, more than 3 gigawatt‑hour behemoth that will support the power needs of nearly 190,000 Queensland households during evening peaks.
Quinbrook said on Tuesday morning that the 260 megawatt (MW), 619 megawatt‑hour (MWh) stage‑one of the Supernode battery at the South Pine substation in Brisbane is now operating at full output, with commercial tolling under the management of Origin Energy.
The milestone for Supernode follows closely on last month’s start of commercial operations for Origin’s 460 MW/1,770 MWh stage 1 Eraring battery, in the shadow of the coal plant of the same name, in New South Wales.
The two batteries are vying for the title of the biggest in the National Electricity Market – although, for the moment, Eraring stage 1 holds the honours.
Quinbrook says construction is ongoing for Stages 2 and 3 of Supernode, which are on track to be completed in 2026 and 2027, respectively, taking the Brisbane battery’s capacity to 780 MW / 3,074 MWh, compared to 700 MW and 3,170 MWh for Eraring when complete.
Quinbrook is also working on plans for a Stage 4 expansion of Supernode, currently in pre‑construction, which is expected to host the first deployment of Quinbrook’s EnerQB long‑duration energy storage solution, developed in partnership with CATL.
Origin, which is developing the Eraring battery itself, has contracted for 100 % of capacity across Supernode Stages 1 and 2 under 12‑year tolling agreements.
In a statement on Tuesday, Origin’s general manager of energy supply and operations, Greg Jarvis, said its investments in Supernode underscore the critical role it sees battery storage playing in supporting the energy transition.
“With Supernode Stage 2, along with our Eraring 2 and Mortlake batteries, coming online in the coming months, Origin’s battery storage portfolio will grow to 1.7 GW across owned and tolled large‑scale projects,” Jarvis said.
Quinbrook says Origin’s collaboration and offtake commitment on Supernode has been instrumental in delivering the “globally significant” project.
“Supernode is a case study in how technically advanced and large‑scale storage can be conceived, located and delivered in Australia to support the progressive transition of our power systems,” Quinbrook senior director James Allan said on Tuesday.
“It is not just about scale, but about placing storage at the right location in the network and delivering long‑term infrastructure assets that are purpose‑built to support the next phase of power system evolution.”
Supernode is being delivered in partnership with Quinbrook’s own specialist project execution team at Private Energy Partners, who have supported the design, procurement and construction and will oversee longer‑term asset management.
Quinbrook’s investment for Stages 1, 2 and 3 is expected to exceed $1.4 billion, with priority given to sourcing local labour, services and equipment from Brisbane and South‑East Queensland.
The financing of Supernode Stages 1 and 2 is believed to represent the largest debt financing for a standalone BESS project in Australia to date.
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