Western Australia 1GW Data Centre With 5GWh Battery Enters Federal Review Process

Gingerah Energy has submitted Project Meridien, a proposed 1GW data centre complex south of Broome in Western Australia, to the federal environmental approval process under the EPBC Act, according to an October 26, 2026 report. The proposal includes a 5GWh (5,000MWh) battery energy storage system intended to support a stable electricity supply for the computing facilities.

The submission brings the project's combined computing and energy storage plans into the environmental assessment process. It represents an approval step; it does not establish that the development has received approval or is ready for construction.

The pairing of a large data centre with substantial battery storage makes electricity supply a central part of the proposal. Its relevance lies in how closely the storage system would be integrated with the computing facility's power requirements. A key design question is how the battery would be charged and operated to support the intended level of supply reliability.

The two headline capacities also require careful interpretation. The data centre's 1GW rating and the battery's 5GWh energy capacity describe different characteristics. The storage figure alone does not establish the battery's discharge power or how long it could support the site's actual operating load. Those outcomes would depend on the final electrical design, usable storage capacity and operating requirements.

Project Meridien illustrates the closer integration of computing infrastructure and energy storage at the planning stage. Whether that integration delivers the intended reliability will depend on the eventual power supply arrangements and system design. Further project disclosures and the outcome of the federal assessment will be the next developments to watch.