Transformer failure reduces capacity at Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales
EIR-0411Provisional entry. Confirmed: Akaysha Energy notified the market of a transformer outage that cut Waratah Super Battery's capacity from 850MW to 350MW during commissioning testing. Not yet confirmed: the exact failure date, root cause, and whether the affected transformers will be repaired or replaced. No further update is scheduled; the entry stays provisional until new information is published.
The 850MW Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales, Australia, experienced a transformer failure during Hold Point testing as the facility transitioned towards full operational output. Two of the three transformers at the site, manufactured by Wilson Transformer, were affected, with one reportedly suffering damage described as 'beyond repair' according to media reports. The developer, Akaysha Energy, confirmed a temporary loss of capacity was notified to the energy market due to a transformer outage. The facility continues to operate at a reduced interim capacity of 350MW while engineers conduct detailed diagnostic inspections on site to determine whether the transformers can be rectified or require replacement. The developer stated the situation does not indicate broader system issues or safety faults, and the facility remains connected to the National Electricity Market, continuing to meet its System Integrity Protection Scheme service requirements at the interim capacity. The failure was reported to have occurred in October 2025 and to have delayed commissioning of the project, an AU$1 billion development built by Akaysha Energy, owned by BlackRock, on the site of the former Munmorah coal power station near Budgewoi. The developer's chief executive described the failure internally as catastrophic.
The failure was identified during Hold Point testing as the battery system was being brought up to its full rated capacity, with issues arising in two of the three transformers at the site, supplied by Wilson Transformer.
- Commissioning and capacity ramp-up testing can reveal equipment faults not apparent at lower operating loads, underscoring the value of staged Hold Point testing regimes.
- Sourcing critical equipment such as transformers from local manufacturers can significantly speed up diagnostic, rectification and replacement timelines when failures occur.
- Built-in system redundancy, such as multiple transformers, allows continued grid service delivery at reduced capacity even after a significant equipment failure, minimising disruption to contracted services.
Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.