How South Australia's grid-scale batteries performed in H2 2026: energy and FCAS market revenue, $/MW, $/MWh, top performers, and price events.
South Australia (SA1) batteries earned $3.60M in estimated gross energy and FCAS market revenue so far in H2 2026, from 14 grid-scale units tracked by NEMPulse. Figures cover H2 2026 to date (through 15 Aug 2026).
Normalised across 1,131 MW and 1,868 MWh of registered capacity, the region earned $3,183/MW and $1,928/MWh for the period.
Total revenue was down 89% on the same days of H1 2026, which returned $31.37M. Per MW per day — which strips out both fleet growth and the length of the window — earnings were down 90% at $69/MW/day. Optimal capture slipped 42 points, from 67% to 25%.
Energy arbitrage supplied 82% of the total and FCAS 17%, with estimated Frequency Performance Payments contributing the remaining 1% ($36k). Within FCAS, regulation accounted for 25% and contingency 75%; the single largest market was raise 1-second at $270k.
For context on the trading conditions, the average daily price spread (top two hours minus bottom two hours) in South Australia was $174/MWh, down 80% on the previous period, and the highest spot price reached $16,971/MWh.
Against the perfect-foresight energy benchmark, South Australia batteries captured 25% of what hindsight would have earned, an estimated $7.73M of unrealised upside.
On capture of the perfect-foresight energy benchmark, the strongest performers were Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant (59%), Happy Valley Water Treatment Plant (58%), Bolivar Waste Water Treatment Plant (54%). At the other end: Blyth Battery Energy Storage System (18%), Dalrymple North BESS (8%), Templers Battery Energy Storage System (-3%) — capture reflects strategy, contracting and constraints as much as skill, so a low figure is not automatically underperformance.
The strongest single day was 8 Jul 2026 at $1.14M, and the best single battery-day was Hornsdale Power Reserve on 8 Jul 2026 with $339k. Revenue stays concentrated: five of the period's 46 days delivered 49% of everything South Australia batteries earned.
Bungama Battery Energy Storage System led the region with $635k. Full dispatch, state-of-charge and bidding detail is available on each battery's page.
South Australia saw 23 price events this period, the sharpest an extreme price event peaking at $16,971/MWh.
| Battery | Energy + FCAS | $/MW | $/MWh | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bungama Battery Energy Storage System | $635k | $4,232/MW | $2,116/MWh | 31% |
| Mannum Battery Energy Storage System | $621k | $6,210/MW | $3,105/MWh | 37% |
| Blyth Battery Energy Storage System | $588k | $2,942/MW | $1,471/MWh | 18% |
| Torrens Island BESS | $534k | $2,134/MW | $2,134/MWh | 18% |
| Hornsdale Power Reserve | $486k | $3,241/MW | $2,506/MWh | 21% |
| Clements Gap BESS | $433k | $7,219/MW | $3,610/MWh | 34% |
| Tailem Bend 2 Hybrid Renewable Power Station | $124k | $3,015/MW | $3,015/MWh | 21% |
| Lake Bonney BESS1 | $110k | $4,396/MW | $2,113/MWh | 31% |
| Happy Valley Water Treatment Plant | $24k | $5,910/MW | $5,910/MWh | 58% |
| Adelaide Desalination Plant | $18k | $2,972/MW | $3,046/MWh | 35% |
| Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant | $12k | $5,661/MW | $6,057/MWh | 59% |
| Bolivar Waste Water Treatment Plant | $12k | $5,876/MW | $5,876/MWh | 54% |
Capture = actual energy revenue as a share of the perfect-foresight LP benchmark; shown only for units with material modelled upside.
Keep reading: Previous period: H1 2026NEM-wide wrap — H2 2026South Australia battery fleetActual vs optimal dispatchMarket eventsHow capture is calculated
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Automatically generated from AEMO public data using fixed templates (not AI-written). Figures are estimated gross market revenue (energy + FCAS) from dispatch — they exclude contracts, hedges and network-support schemes (e.g. SIPS), so actual commercial revenue will differ.
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