How South Australia's grid-scale batteries performed in September 2026: energy and FCAS market revenue, $/MW, $/MWh, top performers, and price events.
South Australia (SA1) batteries earned $1.37M in estimated gross energy and FCAS market revenue so far in September 2026, from 14 grid-scale units tracked by NEMPulse. Figures cover September 2026 to date (through 11 Sep 2026).
Normalised across 1,140 MW and 2,063 MWh of registered capacity, the region earned $1,202/MW and $664/MWh for the period.
Total revenue was up 55% on the same days of August 2026, which returned $884k. Per MW per day — which strips out both fleet growth and the length of the window — earnings were up 39% at $109/MW/day. Optimal capture improved 15 points, from 40% to 55%.
Energy arbitrage supplied 95% of the total and FCAS 5%, with estimated Frequency Performance Payments contributing the remaining 0% ($10k). Within FCAS, regulation accounted for 70% and contingency 30%; the single largest market was raise regulation at $24k.
For context on the trading conditions, the average daily price spread (top two hours minus bottom two hours) in South Australia was $116/MWh, broadly flat on the previous period, and the highest spot price reached $221/MWh.
Against the perfect-foresight energy benchmark, South Australia batteries captured 55% of what hindsight would have earned, an estimated $1.01M of unrealised upside.
On capture of the perfect-foresight energy benchmark, the strongest performers were Clements Gap BESS (71%), Bungama Battery Energy Storage System (63%), Blyth Battery Energy Storage System (57%). At the other end: Tailem Bend 2 Hybrid Renewable Power Station (44%), Hornsdale Power Reserve (41%), Dalrymple North BESS (18%) — capture reflects strategy, contracting and constraints as much as skill, so a low figure is not automatically underperformance.
The strongest single day was 10 Sep 2026 at $244k, and the best single battery-day was Blyth Battery Energy Storage System on 10 Sep 2026 with $62k.
Blyth Battery Energy Storage System led the region with $372k. Full dispatch, state-of-charge and bidding detail is available on each battery's page.
South Australia saw 6 price events this period, the sharpest negative pricing peaking at $-231/MWh.
| Battery | Energy + FCAS | $/MW | $/MWh | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blyth Battery Energy Storage System | $372k | $1,859/MW | $930/MWh | 57% |
| Bungama Battery Energy Storage System | $294k | $1,958/MW | $979/MWh | 63% |
| Mannum Battery Energy Storage System | $184k | $1,842/MW | $921/MWh | 57% |
| Torrens Island BESS | $166k | $666/MW | $666/MWh | 48% |
| Clements Gap BESS | $140k | $2,327/MW | $1,164/MWh | 71% |
| Hornsdale Power Reserve | $123k | $817/MW | $631/MWh | 41% |
| Lake Bonney BESS1 | $37k | $1,489/MW | $716/MWh | 48% |
| Tailem Bend 2 Hybrid Renewable Power Station | $35k | $846/MW | $846/MWh | 44% |
| Adelaide Desalination Plant | $6k | $934/MW | $957/MWh | — |
| Happy Valley Water Treatment Plant | $5k | $1,221/MW | $1,221/MWh | — |
| Bolivar Waste Water Treatment Plant | $4k | $1,969/MW | $1,969/MWh | — |
| Dalrymple North BESS | $4k | $123/MW | $302/MWh | 18% |
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: August 2026NEM-wide wrap — September 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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