Australia has launched a new tender to add around 1.8 GW of renewable generation in Western Australia , in a call aimed at supporting the growth in electricity demand and ensuring system reliability as the share of new generation sources increases.
This round corresponds to Tender 11 of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) and is aimed at projects participating in the Western Australian Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM). Registration began on August 25, and bids can be submitted between August 27 and October 22, 2026 .
The winners are expected to be announced in March 2027 , and the selected developments are expected to become operational around 2030.
“Western Australia needs more energy as its economy and population grow, and this tender will bring in an additional 1.8 GW of new generation to help meet that need,” said Chris Bowen, Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy .
The call for proposals also includes a 180 MW reserve for projects that involve First Nations participation. To access this quota, initiatives must commit at least 5% equity participation to First Nations or implement an equivalent revenue-sharing arrangement.
Another significant change will be in the requirements for developers. This will be the first CIS tender that will require participation in the Developer Rating Scheme (DRS) promoted by the Government.
Those interested must have started their evaluation under this mechanism in order to compete for the 1.8 GW.
The system, independently managed by Equifax Australasia Credit Ratings , assesses developers and transmission companies based on seven criteria, including their capacity, financial solvency and relationship with communities.
Companies that meet the minimum standards in all categories will be able to join a public register and obtain a rating linked to their community engagement practices.
The Government is thus seeking to introduce an additional filter on the execution capacity of those competing in the calls, paying special attention to the maturity of the projects, their viability and their chances of obtaining funding .
The awarded projects will also be required to participate in the Western Australia Reserve Capacity Mechanism , a condition designed to ensure that the addition of new generation contributes to maintaining the reliability of the electricity system.
Tender 11 could also be the last call by the CIS for the WEM if its results achieve the planned objectives for generation and dispatchable capacity.
Australia is moving towards 40 GW under the CIS
The new round comes after a series of awards that have already mobilized renewable capacity and storage in Western Australia.
According to official data, the CIS tenders announced this year supported 10 projects totaling 1.9 GW of renewable generation and 482 MW of storage . In addition, two dispatchable capacity initiatives from a previous round, totaling 250 MW, have already signed agreements and begun construction.
At the national level, the Capacity Investment Scheme aims to reach 40 GW of renewable generation and manageable capacity , so the Government maintains a schedule of calls to incorporate new projects.
In May 2026, for example, Australia launched the CIS 9 tender for 5 GW of renewable capacity , open to projects in different regions of the country with the exception of New South Wales.
The progress of the auctions coincides with a scenario of sustained demand growth and new investments in generation and storage. According to data cited by the Government from AEMO's Electricity Statement of Opportunities 2026 , there are currently around 40 GW of new generation and storage capacity committed or planned in the National Electricity Market , in addition to another 33 GW supported by government programs.
AEMO did not identify reliability deficits for the 2027-2028 and 2029-2030 periods, but warned that it will be necessary to maintain the pace of investment and meet the implementation schedules as electricity consumption grows and coal-fired power plant retirements progress .
In that scenario, the 1.8 GW now up for tender in Western Australia will become the next piece of a program that seeks to combine renewable expansion with sufficient capacity to sustain system reliability.