GenusPlus awarded EPC contract for Koolunga BESS in South Australia

GenusPlus Group has been awarded the EPC contract for the Koolunga Battery Energy Storage System in South Australia. The lump-sum turnkey contract, valued at about $110 million, covers engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning for the balance-of-plant scope and BESS installation works.

The Koolunga project will deliver a 200MW / 800MWh battery energy storage system near Koolunga and Brinkworth in South Australia. The award adds another major utility-scale storage project to Australia’s battery and grid infrastructure pipeline as large-scale BESS assets continue moving from approvals into execution.

Koolunga BESS – Project Background

According to GenusPlus, the Koolunga BESS is located about 6km south-east of Koolunga and 7km north-east of Brinkworth in South Australia. The battery system will connect to the state’s electricity grid through about 1.2km of high-voltage cable linked to the 275kV Brinkworth Substation.

That connection scope is important because the project is not only a storage asset. It is part of the wider transmission and grid-support infrastructure needed to integrate more renewable generation into the South Australian power system.

In that respect, Koolunga sits in the same delivery context as GenusPlus’ Reeves Plains BESS contract in South Australia and CIP’s Summerfield BESS project in Australia, where storage and transmission proximity are central to project value.

$110 million EPC contract – Milestone Details

The project owner is Equis Development Pte. Ltd., which Genus describes as an Asia-Pacific infrastructure investor, owner, and operator. Genus said the project has completed all required planning and environmental approvals together with community impact assessments.

Works are scheduled to commence shortly and are expected to be completed by September 2027. That places the project firmly in the execution phase and gives the award a clear delivery timetable. It also creates a natural link to project financing, commercial close vs financial close, and notice to proceed concepts where mobilisation and construction sequencing depend on milestone alignment.

Genus Managing Director David Riches said: “We are delighted to have secured this contract. This is a milestone project for Genus. This contract gives us great confidence that the market sees our capability and capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity. We look forward to working closely with Equis to deliver the project safely, successfully and on time.”

Koolunga Delivery Profile – Construction Implications

The Koolunga award is significant because it combines a large turnkey EPC package with a battery project that already has approvals, a defined grid connection pathway, and a near-term construction start. That shifts the focus from development into delivery coordination.

On projects of this size, the critical interfaces usually sit across civil works, balance-of-plant packages, battery installation, HV connection works, testing, and commissioning. If those interfaces tighten during execution, pressure can quickly move into construction claims, particularly where energisation dates and completion milestones need to align.

If delivery timing moves, the commercial effects may also spill into delays and disruptions and, eventually, broader questions around liquidated damages. That is particularly relevant on utility-connected battery assets where commissioning and grid readiness are tightly linked.

Australian BESS Outlook

The Koolunga contract reflects a broader Australian pattern in which utility-scale batteries are moving from development approval into major delivery packages tied to substations, transmission access, and system reliability. That trend is already visible in GenusPlus’ Reeves Plains BESS award in South Australia, Genus’ Wagerup BESS work in Western Australia, and CIP’s 240 MW / 960 MWh Summerfield BESS.

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