Tesla is carrying out its final tests before the world's largest battery installation goes live on Friday, hitting Tesla chief Elon Musk's 100-day construction target.
The date was an important one for Mr Musk, who bet Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes via Twitter that Tesla could build and install the unit power in 100 days, or the $US50 million ($64million) system would be free.
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Tesla to build world's largest battery
Elon Musk's Tesla will be installing the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage project in South Australia. Video courtesy ABC News.
The system began energising on Saturday, swiftly reaching a third of its potential 100-megawatt charge and meeting both the Australian Energy Market Operator and South Australian government requirements for operation.
During this week's ongoing testing phase, the battery has provided energy grid security support to South Australia.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said the battery storage system will help support South Australia during the upcoming summer season, and reduce its reliance on other states for additional energy.
"While others are just talking, we are delivering our energy plan, making South Australia more self-sufficient, and providing back up power and more affordable energy for South Australians this summer," Mr Weatherill said.
He said Tesla has delivered an enormous amount of work into bringing the project online in such a short time.
"The world's largest lithium-ion battery will be an important part of our energy mix, and it sends the clearest message that South Australia will be a leader in renewable energy with battery storage," he said.
![Tesla's South Australian installation will be the world's largest single battery storage.](http://web.archive.org./web/20171129203308im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/r/t/3/w/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gzv8qo.png/1511935355572.jpg)
South Australian Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis called the battery's most recent developments a global energy milestone.
South Australia's grid scale Battery in Jamestown has begun charging. Today we lead not just the nation, but the world. Some said it couldn't be done, some even said it shouldn't be done, they're all wrong. https://t.co/nvYQTthp37
— Tom Koutsantonis (@TKoutsantonisMP) November 25, 2017
![Elon Musk has hit his self-imposed 100-day deadline.](http://web.archive.org./web/20171129203308im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/r/t/3/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gzv8qo.png/1511935355572.jpg)
The 100-megawatt battery system, which can provide 129-megawatt hours of energy, is designed to reduce intermittency issues and manage increased demand during summer peak loading periods, potentially providing enough energy to power 30,000 homes for eight hours, or 60,000 homes for four hours.
It is paired with French firm Neoen's Hornsdale wind farm, located near Jamestown, about 200 kilometres north of Adelaide.
The system is part of South Australia's wider $550 million plan to power the state. Elon Musk won't be present for the switch-on, the SA state government said.