Disused gold mine becomes pumped hydroelectric power plant

A diagrammatic look at what is happening at the
disused Kidston gold mine in north Queensland.

Genex is developing a pumped storage hydroelectric power plant at the disused Kidston Gold Mine in North Queensland.

The plant could potentially generate rapid response, flexible power for delivery into Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM). The plant would be a highly efficient form of large-scale energy storage that could help manage the introduction of more solar and wind power into the NEM.

An extensive design process has produced an innovative option that could increase the plant’s storage and peaking generation capacity of the project to a maximum of 450 MW over a 5-6 hour period, beating earlier expectations.

The option provides the lowest cost per MW of installed capacity and presents the lowest operating and environmental risk.

Read the ARENA story - “Pumped hydro storage design beats expectations.”