We do not pre-approve community battery applications outside of our standard connection process. Please note a fee will be charged to conduct a connection study. To submit yours, go to mySupply.
If you intend to connect a community battery to the CitiPower or Powercor network, this page provides you information to assist you with your project.
With more renewable energy connected to our network every year, storing all that clean energy becomes essential — especially to shift solar power collected during the day to when it’s needed most.
Community batteries help integrate renewable energy into our network and provide a range of services to keep everyone’s power reliable. These batteries can be owned by a distribution network, a local government, private businesses, or not-for-profits.
Connecting a community battery
If you intend to connect a community battery to our network, there are some you’ll need to confirm before lodging your application, including:
- proposed load import and export
- the land your battery will be on
- if your main service board must be upgraded.
We recommend that you also speak to a registered electrical contractor or consultant as part of your feasibility study.
Our role and services
Once your scope is ready and your land is confirmed, we will conduct a connection study and issue you with a connection agreement. Your CitiPower/Powercor contact will guide you through the process from planning to commissioning. Under this model, the project proponent covers all costs and operations. To get in contact email newenergyservices@powercor.com.au
Community battery trial network tariff
We are offering a community battery trial network tariff for new community batteries until June 2026. This tariff, designed for third party-owned batteries with a capacity of less than 240 kVA, and provides an annual net rebate of $1,500 to $2,000 if the battery avoids importing electricity between 4pm and 9pm.
| Time band | Fixed (cents/day) | Import rate (cents/kWh) | Export rate (cents/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10am-3pm | - | -1.5 | 0 |
| 4pm-9pm | 45 | 25 | -1.0 |
| All other times | - | 0 | 0 |
How your community battery can support the network
Each year we release commercial opportunities for third parties to support the network. This may include community batteries if they are more cost-effective than traditional upgrades to the poles and wires.
We publish these opportunities and seek proposals through our Flexibility Marketplace.
Frequently asked questions
How do we work out where to connect?
Our network visualisation portal offers multiple layers of information about the capacity of our network.
This includes a detailed visualisation of our powerlines from 66kV down to 6.6kV.
User this to help you determine the best location for your community battery.
Visit our Network Visualisation Portal (sign up required for access)
Can I get a connection pre-approval to support my application?
How can we access other network data to support our project?
Documents and resources
The community battery experience
We tell the story of how neighbourhood batteries are located on poles or on the ground and explain how batteries are charged either from local rooftop solar energy or the power sourced from large scale energy generators including solar and wind farms.
The benefits of batteries
This animation explains the role batteries play in making sure extra energy is stored locally so it can be used later when needed.
Battery safety
This animation explains how batteries are designed under strict regulatory standards to be quiet and safe for people and the environment. It also covers the criteria considered for where they are located.
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