Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project

Project overview*

IAR status	Approved with conditions
Description	A 250-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric power generation facility – the beneficial use of the decommissioned Kidston Gold Mine’s upper and lower pits.
Proponent	Genex Power Limited
Location/s	Kidston, Queensland approximately 280 km north-west of Townsville. Map
Local government/s	Etheridge Shire Council
Investment	$330 million
Key features	The project would act as a natural battery storage, allowing energy to be stored and harnessed on demand and includes the following components: an upper reservoir formed by a 20-metre-high dam around the existing Wises Pit a lower reservoir utilising the existing Eldridge Pit a powerhouse cavern with the capacity to generate 250 megawatts a tailrace allowing water to pass from the powerhouse to the reservoirs a spillway from the upper reservoir to the Copperfield River.
Expected completion	2022
Jobs	370 (construction over three and a half years) 9 (operational)

Date	Activity
5 April 2019	Coordinator-General’s report on the IAR ( 2.4 MB) release.
28 March 2019	The Coordinator-General accepted the draft IAR as the final IAR. Impact assessment report ( 28 MB), submitted. Supplementary information to the IAR ( 5.3 MB), submitted. IAR sections, submitted: IAR part 1( 5 MB) IAR part 2 ( 5 MB) IAR part 3 ( 5 MB) IAR part 4 ( 5 MB) IAR part 5 ( 4.8 MB) IAR part 6 ( 5 MB) IAR part 7 ( 1.1 MB)
25 March 2019	The Coordinator-General accepted the draft IAR as the final IAR. The evaluation stage has commenced.
11 January 2019	The proponent lodged a draft IAR.
28 September 2018	Gazettal ( 250 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
28 September 2018	Application, including initial advice statement submitted.