Tesla has completed construction of the world’s largest lithium ion battery in Australia, putting it on track to meet a 100-day deadline for switching the battery packs on, the South Australian government said on Thursday.
Tesla won a bid in July to build the 129 megawatt hour battery for South Australia, the country’s most wind power-dependent state, with a vow from chief executive Elon Musk to install it within 100 days of signing a grid connection agreement or give it to the state for free.
“While others are just talking, we are delivering our energy plan, making South Australia more self-sufficient, and providing back up power and more affordable energy for South Australians this summer,” state Premier Jay Weatherill said in a statement.
Australia’s energy market operator has warned that power supply will be tight this summer, particularly in South Australia and neighbouring Victoria, where one of the market’s biggest coal-fired power plants was shut in March.