For attribution to Darren Rogers, Group Executive, Energy Solutions

“APA has submitted a Part IV referral to the Environmental Protection Authority to progress a potential power generation project at a site in Keralup, Western Australia. The proposed project is in the early planning phases and includes potential delivery of a new gas-fired power station and grid-scale battery energy storage system. The site also has the potential to include further renewables generation capacity down the track.

“APA has not executed agreements with any customer for the offtake of the energy associated with this potential development. APA is progressing planning and approvals for the site to ensure we are ready to support potential future customers, which is our standard approach and occurring at multiple sites across the country.

“The site has the potential to provide grid firming to the South-West Interconnected System and directly support industrial energy users, including data centres, having been identified for decades as a potential industrial development site by successive state governments. The site is unsuitable for residential development, is located away from residential areas and is close to existing enabling infrastructure.

“Any industrial, digital or broader energy infrastructure at the site would be subject to its own development approvals and community consultation separate to the application recently submitted by APA.”