New South Wales has opened a pair of record tenders seeking two point five gigawatts (GW) of new renewable generation and 12 gigawatt?hours (GWh) of long?duration storage to accelerate its clean energy transition. The generation auction, Tender 8, is the largest launched under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and is being managed by independent consumer trustee AusEnergy Services Limited (ASL). The storage contest, Tender 9, seeks up to 12 GWh of additional storage and follows a decision to unlock an extra 50 per cent of capacity above baseline planning targets.

Officials indicated the procurements are intended to deliver almost 90 per cent of the state’s target of generating 12 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030 and to support the staged retirement of ageing coal?fired power stations. The tenders are designed to attract projects that can integrate with network plans and provide operational flexibility as demand profiles evolve. Developers may submit integrated offers under the new hybrid model that links generation with storage in a single proposal.

Long?duration technologies under consideration include pumped hydro and utility?scale battery systems, which can store surplus output during periods of strong wind and solar generation and supply power when renewable output falls. The government indicates such systems will play a critical role in balancing the grid and enhancing reliability. The expanded storage ambition responds to modelling that points to benefits for system resilience.

Combined, the two procurements are expected to supply electricity sufficient for around one point two six million (mn) homes across New South Wales and to place downward pressure on household energy bills amid ongoing cost?of?living challenges. The hybrid agreement framework is intended to simplify delivery and encourage investment in higher-quality projects. Officials said successful projects under both tenders are due to be announced by late 2026.