Residents near Merriwa have two opportunities this week to get an update on the Goulburn River solar farm, with developer Lightsource BP holding community drop-in sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Goulburn River project consists of a 585 megawatt solar farm and battery energy storage system, located between Wollar and Merriwa on Wollara Road in the Upper Hunter region. Lightsource BP is now progressing plans to improve the battery storage system for the project, and is seeking community feedback as part of that process
The sessions will be held at the Merriwa Meeting Room of the old library. Wednesday’s drop-in is open from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, with a morning session on Thursday running from 7.30am to 9.30am. Locals can attend at any time during those windows to speak with project representatives and ask questions.
The battery component of the project is backed by a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement through the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, while the solar component is supported by the Commonwealth’s Capacity Investment Scheme. Construction on the solar farm began in late 2024, with assets scheduled for energisation by late 2026.
Goulburn River is one of the first large-scale DC-coupled solar and battery hybrid projects to enter construction in Australia. The project also includes plans for two additional co-located battery energy storage systems beyond the current build, further cementing the Upper Hunter site as a significant node in the state’s energy transition.
