Genesis Energy Limited, one of New Zealand's foremost integrated electricity generators and retailers, has officially commissioned its first grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Huntly Power Station in the Waikato region of the North Island. Featuring a nameplate power capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) and an energy storage volume of 200 megawatt-hours (MWh), the facility provides a continuous two-hour discharge capability, sufficient to supply approximately 60,000 homes during peak demand windows. Constructed on the grounds of New Zealand's largest thermal power generating station, the project was delivered at a total cost of approximately NZ$130 million (US$74 million)—more than NZ$5 million below its allocated budget. Completed in just 14 months following groundbreaking on June 5, 2025, the facility was officially inaugurated on October 15, 2026, and is recognized by Genesis as the most cost-effective grid-scale battery system built in New Zealand to date. Advanced Saft Technology and Direct Transpower Grid Interconnection The initial stage of the Huntly BESS combines international energy storage manufacturing with domestic engineering expertise. In September 2024, Genesis Energy contracted Saft, the specialized battery energy storage subsidiary of France's TotalEnergies, to supply 70 containerized Intensium Shift+ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) units alongside associated power conversion and energy control architectures. Northpower, a New Zealand electrical distribution and contracting specialist, executed the balance of plant and on-site engineering installation.
The installation links directly to the national transmission network via the Transpower substation located on the Huntly site. A major logistics milestone was reached in February 2026 when a 172-tonne main transformer was delivered and installed, stepping voltage up from 33 kV to the national grid's 220 kV standard. The Huntly site occupies a strategic geographical location proximate to major North Island demand centers, including Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga. Tracey Hickman, Chief Operating Officer of Genesis Energy, stated: "The BESS can be turned on almost immediately, making it the fastest-starting asset at Huntly Power Station and allowing it to respond quickly when extra supply is needed." The formal ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together community leadership and corporate executives, including Tukoroirangi Morgan, chair of Te Arataura, the executive body of Waikato-Tainui; Craig West, chief executive of Tainui Group Holdings; Genesis chief executive Malcolm Johns; and Genesis board members Hinerangi Raumati Tu'ua and Tim Miles. Advancing the Gen35 Strategy Alongside Renewable Buildouts The Huntly Power Station, which commands an existing generation capacity of approximately 1,200 MW across gas and coal units, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. As New Zealand accelerates its broader clean energy transition, Genesis is executing its Gen35 corporate framework, deploying more than NZ$1 billion toward new renewable projects while redefining Huntly's operational mandate as a flexible, strategic backup hub.
Hickman noted that grid-scale battery storage works in direct synergy with Genesis' expanding solar portfolio, which includes the Rangiriri solar development immediately north of Huntly, as well as the newly approved NZ$125 million Leeston solar farm and the 220 MWp Foxton project. The battery charges during solar peak periods and discharges when household heating and commercial demand surge on cold mornings and evenings. Explaining the asset's strategic role, Hickman remarked: "Under our Gen35 strategy, Huntly Power Station is evolving as its role becomes even more critical to energy security as we move towards a more renewable grid, when supply from rain, wind and sun sometimes falls short. Batteries provide back-up supply for our customers and New Zealand when it's really needed." Stage Two Expansion Approved Amid Tightening National Energy Margins The on-time, under-budget delivery of the initial battery has paved the way for immediate site expansion. In April 2026, Genesis reached a Final Investment Decision (FID) on a second 100 MW / 200 MWh battery unit at Huntly, approving a capital commitment of NZ$106 million. Because Stage 2 utilizes existing land holdings, established switchyard interconnections, and shared civil infrastructure, Genesis described it as the lowest-cost committed grid-scale BESS in the nation. With construction scheduled to begin in late 2026 and commercial operation targeted for 2028, the combined battery capacity at Huntly will reach 200 MW / 400 MWh, with ultimate site master plans accommodating up to 400 MW / 800 MWh.
Nationwide, Huntly represents New Zealand's third operational 100 MW BESS asset, joining Meridian Energy's Ruakākā installation (commissioned in May 2025 near Whangārei, also supplied by Saft) and Contact Energy's Glenbrook Ohurua 1 battery (commissioned in May 2026 at the New Zealand Steel site, powered by 56 Tesla Megapack 2XL units). The project enters service at a critical juncture for national energy reliability. In its draft 2026 Security of Supply Assessment, state grid operator Transpower warned that declining domestic gas production threatens winter supply margins, projecting a potential 698 GWh seasonal deficit by 2031 under baseline assumptions, or as early as 2030 under reduced gas-flow conditions. By deploying grid-scale battery capacity under budget and on schedule, Genesis has reinforced national grid resilience, illustrating how legacy thermal infrastructure can be repurposed into an agile anchor for the renewable transition.
