Belah BESS signs Community Benefits Agreement to deliver long-term local investment
LPRP is pleased to announce that the Belah Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), being developed in partnership with Eku Energy, has signed a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Western Downs Regional Council.
The agreement will see at least $240,000 invested each year for the life of the project into communities surrounding the Belah BESS, supporting local priorities including housing, skills development, community infrastructure and grassroots initiatives.
The CBA follows consultation undertaken as part of the project's Social Impact Assessment, which helped identify the priorities, opportunities and challenges most important to the local community.
This is LPRP's second Community Benefits Agreement to be executed in recent months, and we thank Western Downs Regional Council, local community members and other stakeholders who contributed their time and feedback throughout the process.
Supporting local priorities
The Community Benefits Agreement will provide a structured and consistent program of community investment throughout the life of the Belah BESS.
Funding will be directed towards initiatives that respond to local priorities and support the long-term growth and resilience of communities surrounding the project.
Key areas of investment include:
Housing availability and affordability
Skills development, training and employment opportunities
Local infrastructure and community projects
Support for grassroots community groups, schools and not-for-profit organisations
By taking a long-term approach, the agreement provides greater certainty around community investment and helps ensure the benefits associated with the project extend well beyond its construction period.
About the Belah BESS
The Belah BESS is proposed at Crossroads, approximately 19 kilometres south of Chinchilla and 22 kilometres west of Kogan, near the intersection of Avenue Road and the Kogan–Condamine Road.
The project is a large-scale energy storage facility capable of delivering up to 400 megawatts of electricity for four hours continuously. It will store electricity and make it available when demand is high, helping support a stable and reliable Queensland electricity grid.
The project site has been selected to minimise impacts on the surrounding community and environment. It is located on existing cleared land, approximately two kilometres from the nearest residences and adjacent to the existing Orana Substation, allowing for an efficient connection to the electricity network.
The project has also been determined Not a Controlled Action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Investing in the future of the Western Downs
The Community Benefits Agreement reflects a shared commitment between the project partners and Western Downs Regional Council to ensure the development of the Belah BESS delivers meaningful and lasting benefits for the region.
By aligning investment with priorities identified through community consultation, the agreement will support local services, infrastructure and opportunities while creating a positive legacy for communities surrounding the project.
$240,000 every year for the life of the project represents a significant long-term investment in the Western Downs and the communities closest to the Belah BESS.
For more information on the CBA see our dedicated factsheet here.