The delivery of Snowy Hydro 2.0, a pumped-hydro battery megaproject in New South Wales, Australia is set to be extended and its construction cost increased. This was revealed by the federal government-owned company.
Reportedly the project could delay for one or two more years. That means that the earliest start date could be the second half of 2028. The completion of all units on the other hand could be pushed to the end of 2029.
Also Read: Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant in North Queensland, Australia
While highlighting reasons behind the 12 to 24 months delays, the project mentioned a number of design elements requiring more time to develop and complete.
The updated cost of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 Project in Australia has not been revealed. However, its cost has more than doubled before. Its cost rose from $2bn when it was announced by Malcolm Turnbull in 2017 to $5.9bn.
An overview of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 Project in Australia
The facility is being built by Future Generation (FGJV). The latter is a joint venture comprising Lane Construction, an American subsidiary of Webuild, and an Australian firm Clough, Webuild.
Snowy Hydro 2.0 features a hydroelectric power station whose construction will be 800 meters underground between two reservoirs. As a result, the project will serve as a link between the lower Talbingo Reservoir and the higher Tantangara Reservoir via tunnels through the Snowy Mountains.
The project will generate green energy as water passes turbines in the tunnels, which will then be sent to the grid. Quite impressively, the turbines will include a reversible feature. This will enable the pushing of water back, upwards. The same water will be pumped back and forth all the time. This, in turn, will enable the creation of hydroelectricity on demand.
Upon completion, Snowy Hydro 2.0 will provide 2GW of fast-start dispatchable energy. Moreover, it will provide 350GWh of large-scale storage, especially for use at peak hours.
