Elon Musk promises Australian power woes fix in 100 days

E-Paper | April 24, 2026

Tesla chief Elon Musk is promising to solve an energy crisis in Australia or his company's services are free.

A Tesla executive mentioned to the Australian Financial Review that the company would install the batteries needed to prevent ongoing blackouts in South Australia and have the situation fixed within 100 days.

Australia billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes asked Musk on Twitter how serious he was about the bet. Musk replied: "Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free. That serious enough for you?"

Cannon-Brookes enthusiastically accepted the deal and said he'll work on politics and funding for the project.

In addition to Tesla, Musk also leads NASA contractor SpaceX.

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Fudayl Z. ahmad

Mar 10, 2017 07:45pm

This is excellent news. We should also know whether the project will have a reasonably good payback period as well as other profitability measures like Internal Rate of Returns, Net Present Value, etc. I hope Dawn will provide us the feedback too.

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S. A. M.

Mar 10, 2017 07:55pm

now that's really cool

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Pukhtoon

Mar 10, 2017 09:27pm

I see this guy coming to Pakistan sooner than later. Pakistan is one the most attractive country for energy related investments.

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UnshacklePak

Mar 10, 2017 10:12pm

@Pukhtoon It's not that businesses don't want to come here. It's that gov't has massive restrictions and taxes on imports and free business. It's a protectionist country. Remember when the gov't put a 30% tax on solar panels? A country with massive shortages doing something like this tells us about the mindset and the top. The whole thing probably was to ensure locals don't have to compete with better quality and cheaper goods. Whenever someone mentions protecting local businesses, ask what will that do to the users of that business and how much more will they be paying.

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Fudayl Z. ahmad

Mar 11, 2017 01:50pm

@UnshacklePak 30% taxes on solar panels? Stop dreaming, sir. Solar panels have significant duty exemptions in Pakistan. Please read up on what is happening in Pakistan, to address your lack of information on the country.

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Asif

Mar 11, 2017 01:56pm

Elon Musk is a great guy doing great service to humanity I believe this Tesla power pack is what consumers in Pakistan need with lots of sunlight all year around one power pack is enough to power whole house but again only if our governments were supportive of solar power remove the tariffs and see how new technology can transform Pakistan

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Jawaad Farooque

Mar 12, 2017 12:11pm

Corrupt politicians who want their cut on every deal are the biggest hinderance to energy solutions in Pakistan, stop pretending as if you guys don't know about it. From customs to transportation everyone is like a vulture. Writing about business and doing actual business in Pakistan are two different things like Moon and Earth crust

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anees zed

Mar 12, 2017 05:12pm

He forgot to mention 'December' in his claim to fix the problem.

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