Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories.
Ark Energy has obtained connection approval from the Australian Energy Market Operator and transmission network service provider Transgrid for its 435MW Richmond Valley solar-plus-storage facility, enabling its link to the National Electricity Market.
The Queensland-based developer announced on 5 June that it had received the 5.3.4.A/B certificates, which are formal documents under the National Electricity Rules verifying that a generating system adheres to Generator Performance Standards. This achievement followed design modifications, power system modelling, hundreds of simulations, network studies, and joint workshops.
The project will link to the local 330kV grid through a new Richmond Valley Switching Station built on-site. It will employ grid-forming inverter technology and is anticipated to be among the initial hybrid solar-plus-storage installations in the NEM functioning via a single connection point, streamlining dispatch and grid service provision compared to separately linked generation and storage assets.
Stage 1 construction is scheduled to start later in 2026, comprising a 200MWac solar PV plant alongside a long-duration 275MW/2,200MWh lithium iron phosphate battery energy storage system. The complete authorized setup includes 435MW of solar PV and a 475MW/3,148MWh BESS.
Ark Energy CEO Michael Choi stated that the grid connection approval advances the project toward financial close. He called it a flagship venture for the company that will significantly enhance electricity supply and grid stability for New South Wales and the NEM once operational.
The Richmond Valley project has been under development since 2019 and has secured both state and federal approvals. The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission gave its nod in October 2025. Federal environmental clearance under the EPBC Act followed in December 2025, finalizing the approval sequence before the grid connection phase.
The approved configuration raised the battery system’s power output to 475MW and expanded energy storage capacity to 3,148MWh from the initial 2,200MWh proposal. The facility will utilize 730,000 bifacial solar modules with single-axis tracking technology, and the co-located battery system is intended to deliver frequency regulation and peak demand management across the NEM.
In March 2025, Ark Energy entered into a BESS supply agreement with Seoul-based Hanwha Energy, confirming LFP chemistry for the storage system. An Early Contractor Involvement agreement with Elecnor Australia, signed in September 2025, encompasses preliminary engineering and design tasks, including site studies, solar PV design, and balance-of-plant for the battery system.
The project benefits from a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement awarded by the NSW government in 2023, which provides a revenue floor supporting its financing structure. It was among three Ark Energy developments featured on the Australian government’s inaugural National Renewable Energy Priority List issued last year.
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
The Largest Destinations for Exports
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
Instant access. No credit card needed.
Online access to 2M+ reports, dashboards, and tables. Trusted by Fortune 500 teams.
IndexBox, Inc.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1441
Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Contact us
© 2026 IndexBox, Inc

source