Western Australia has opened two new Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tenders designed to add 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable generation and 2.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of storage to the state’s grid, unlocking an estimated $4 billion in private capital.
The tenders target the Wholesale Electricity Market in the south-west, including Perth, and are expected to deliver enough renewable generation to power 900,000 households annually, with storage to support the evening peak of 550,000 homes for four hours.
The program forms part of the Albanese Government’s national CIS framework, which aims to deliver 40 GW of new renewable capacity by 2030. To date, 19 CIS agreements have been executed nationally, representing 5.85 GW of capacity and around $15 billion in local commitments.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said: “These latest tenders will deliver certainty of progress to the Western Australian market and households with support for cleaner, more reliable renewable energy.”
Assistant Minister Josh Wilson said: “These new tenders for renewable energy generation and storage will make a significant contribution to meeting Western Australia’s energy needs as our state exits coal-fired power generation.”
Projects will be assessed under a new streamlined CIS process that considers not only cost and deliverability but also contributions to grid reliability, First Nations engagement, and binding commitments on local employment and community benefits.
Western Australia’s Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said: “This latest Capacity Investment Scheme tender provides investors with confidence to build projects here – backing the delivery of clean, renewable power for Western Australian households and businesses.”
The WA government is targeting an orderly exit of state-owned coal generation by 2030, supported by public and private renewable investment. Proponents now have ten weeks to submit bids, with applications closing on 7 November 2025.