General News
12 August, 2026
BESS projects seek community engagement
AUSTRALIAN Renewable Energy Services (ARES) has invited residents of Cobden and Camperdown to share their feedback as planning continues for two Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the Corangamite Shire region.
Since ARES last spoke with the community, the projects have continued to progress and are now entering the planning permit phase.
“The planning permit applications for both projects will be assessed by the Victorian Government Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) under the Development Facilitation Program (DFP),” ARES managing director Sigi Psutka-Jones said.
Construction phases are now anticipated to begin later in 2027, with more than 100 combined jobs expected to be created during the delivery phase and up to four permanent long-term roles going forward.
Once construction begins, each BESS is expected to take around 12 months to complete.
Together, they will have the capacity to power approximately 30,000 homes annually.
In addition to community engagement, ARES is also seeking expressions of interest from local businesses and service providers to support the projects.
“Working closely with Corangamite Shire Council and the local community is integral to our plans,” Mr Psutka-Jones said.
“We are genuinely committed to recruiting locally wherever possible and that is one of the reasons we continue to engage in the region.
“Jobs will range from civil engineers, plant operators, surveyors and labourers, through to traffic controllers, mechanical fitters and health and safety coordinators.”
More community information sessions are being held this month.
Local residents and businesses have been encouraged to attend, ask questions and share feedback.
The feedback session in Cobden will be held on August 22, at the Cobden Civic Hall on 55 Victoria Street from 1pm-5pm.
The feedback session in Camperdown will be held at the Camperdown Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch at 14 Tait Street on August 22 from 9am-12noon.
“Our team will be on hand to talk about the projects and listen to the community,” Mr Psutka-Jones said.
“We are also keen to hear ideas for how these projects could deliver additional investment and benefits for the community.
“We are committed to providing interested community members with clear information and we will continue to engage locally.”
The battery projects are proposed to be located on private land, with careful design considerations including buffers and setbacks to minimise sightline changes for nearby properties.
Grid-connected batteries are essential infrastructure which improve the resilience and reliability of the electricity system.
They store excess power when supply is high and release it back into the grid when it’s needed most, helping to smooth out peaks and support renewable energy use.
Read More: Cobden, Camperdown