Supernode Stage 1 commences commercial operations
News
17 February, 2026
Brisbane – 17 February 2026 – Quinbrook, a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on delivering the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, today announced the successful start of commercial operations for Stage 1 of its Supernode battery storage project located at the South Pine substation in Brisbane. Stage 1 is now operating at full output to the Queensland electricity grid with the commercial tolling of Stage 1 under the management of Origin Energy.
Supernode Stage 1 is a 260-megawatt (MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with 619 megawatt hours (MWh) of installed capacity. The start of commercial operations marks the transition of the first stage from construction into operations. Construction is ongoing for Stages 2 and 3 which will be complete over 2026 and 2027 respectively and is set to increase Supernode’s capacity to 780 MW / 3,074 MWh delivering significant grid stability, flexibility and firming to the power grid, enabling the optimisation of renewable energy production over the peak and offpeak times of the day especially when rooftop solar output in Queensland is at maximum output.
Once fully operational, the first three stages of Supernode will support the power needs of approximately 188,000 typical Queensland households during evening peak periods.
Today’s milestone is a testament to the teamwork and execution capability of our people and those of our partners. It also reflects the strength of Quinbrook’s long-term partnership with Origin Energy, whose collaboration and offtake commitment has been instrumental in delivering this globally significant project.
Brian Restall
Chief Executive Officer, Quinbrook
Origin Energy has contracted for 100% of capacity across Supernode Stages 1 and 2 under 12-year tolling agreements.
I congratulate the Quinbrook team on reaching this significant milestone, which delivers additional storage capacity to the market. The 260 MW from Supernode Stage 1 brings Origin’s operational large scale battery capacity to 710 MW, following the commencement of Eraring Battery 1 earlier this year. With Supernode Stage 2, along with our Eraring 2 and Mortlake batteries, coming online in the coming months, Origin’s battery storage portfolio will grow to 1.7 GW across owned and tolled large scale projects. This investment underscores the critical role Origin sees battery storage playing in supporting the energy transition.
Greg Jarvis
Executive General Manager Energy Supply and Operations, Origin Energy
Supernode is a case study in how technically advanced and large-scale storage can be conceived, located and delivered in Australia to support the progressive transition of our power systems. It is not just about scale, but about placing storage at the right location in the network and delivering long term infrastructure assets that are purpose-built to support the next phase of power system evolution.
James Allan
Senior Director, Quinbrook
Supernode represents a significant capital investment in the broader Moreton Bay region, supporting construction jobs and long-term operational employment. Quinbrook also acknowledges Moreton Bay Regional Council for its contribution and support, which has been instrumental to date, as well as Powerlink Queensland for its ongoing collaboration on grid connection and operational readiness, including coordination associated with South Pine Substation.
Supernode is being delivered in partnership with Quinbrook’s own specialist project execution team at Private Energy Partners, who have supported the design, procurement and construction of all Stages and who will oversee longer term asset management. Quinbrook’s investment for Stages 1, 2 and 3 is expected to exceed $1.4 billion, with priority given to sourcing local labour, services and equipment from Brisbane and South-East Queensland. The financing of Supernode Stages 1 and 2 is believed to represent the largest debt financing for a standalone BESS project in Australia to date.
Quinbrook is also progressing plans for a Stage 4 expansion of Supernode, currently in pre-construction, which is expected to host the first deployment of Quinbrook’s EnerQB long-duration energy storage solution, developed in exclusive partnership with CATL.
About Quinbrook
Quinbrook www.quinbrook.com is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition. Led and managed by a senior team of energy industry professionals, Quinbrook is an accomplished asset creator and business builder that conceives, develops, constructs and operates a diverse array of innovative infrastructure projects and growth platforms. Since its founding in 2015, Quinbrook has invested in over 40 GW of energy infrastructure assets and businesses representing a total transaction value exceeding USD 27 billion spanning large-scale renewable power generation, biofuels production, long duration storage, hyperscale data center infrastructure, AI powered asset optimisation, grid support and flexibility solutions in North America, the UK/Ireland and Australia.