11 November 2025
Members of the Deniliquin community will be able to meet with the NSW Independent Planning Commission and have their say about the proposed Deniliquin Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a State significant development application (SSD-72258210) proposed by Avenis Energy to install a 120MW/480MWh BESS with associated infrastructure and connection works.
The proposed BESS would be located adjacent to the existing substation on the Riverina Highway approximately 8 kilometres south-east of Deniliquin, within the Edward River LGA. The BESS is designed to increase grid stability, energy security and reliability. If approved, it would store excess renewable energy and provide ‘firming capacity’ by contributing to dispatchable energy availability during peak demand or when renewable energy production is low. The key issues associated with the proposed development were identified in the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s whole-of-government assessment of the development application. These include land use compatibility, issues related to the energy transition, hazards and biodiversity.
Commissioners Mr Michael Wright (Chair) and Dr Bronwyn Evans AM have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the development application.
The Commission is the consent authority because the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure received more than 50 public submissions objecting to the proposal. Only a small number of these submissions were provided from within the local area. Accordingly, the Commission wants to ensure that people who live nearby and may be most directly impacted by the project can have their say to help inform the Commission’s decision.
The Commission invites members of the local community to register their interest for an in-person meeting with the Panel when it visits the area to conduct a site inspection and locality tour and meet with the Edward River Council. Local meetings with individuals will run for 10 minutes each and will be held at the Deniliquin Town Hall meeting room at 170 Cressy St, Deniliquin NSW 2710 on Thursday 4 December 2025, commencing at 10:00 AM AEDT. The meetings will not be videoed or livestreamed but will be recorded and transcribed, with the transcript published on the Commission’s website, and can be observed in-person.
To participate, local community members must register their interest for a meeting timeslot via the Commission’s website by 5:00 PM AEDT on Monday 1 December 2025.
The Commission is also inviting all members of the public to make written submissions, which can be lodged via the ‘Make a Submission’ portal on the Commission’s website. The Commission will also accept written submissions that are lodged via post or email.
Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm AEDT on Thursday 11 December 2025.