Big-T Pumped Hydropower Energy Storage project

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	Development of a pumped hydropower energy storage project in the Southern Queensland renewable energy zone with the capacity to generate up to 400 megawatts (MW) of continuous electricity for 10 hours per day, and a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 200 megawatt hours (MWh)
Proponent	BE Power Projects Pty Ltd as Trustee for Big-T Unit Trust
Location/s	Approximately 45 km north-east of Toowoomba. Map
Local government/s	Toowoomba Regional Council and Somerset Regional Council
Investment	Up to $1.3 billion
Key features	new upper reservoir located on Mt Sevastopol underground water conveyances and intake/outlet infrastructure connecting the water conveyances between the upper reservoir and existing Lake Cressbrook (lower reservoir) underground power station cavern, housing two 200 megawatt reversible turbines and access tunnel 15 km underground double-circuit 275 kilovolt transmission line and a new switching station evacuation and ventilation tunnel upgrade of Sebastapool and Three Mile Roads and new 3 km access road to the tunnel portals and lower intake a battery energy storage system
Construction start date	2024
Jobs	350 (construction) 10 (operational)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Date	Activity
Currently	Draft EIS being prepared by proponent.
25 September 2024	The Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 30 April 2026.
20 April 2023	Terms of reference for an EIS ( 1.7 MB)
21 January 2023 to 22 February 2023	Draft terms of reference ( 2.4 MB) for EIS public consultation.
30 September 2022	Gazettal ( 225 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
15 July 2022	Application, including final initial advice statement ( 8.3 MB), submitted.
22 March 2022	Australian Minister for the Environment decided the project is a ‘controlled action’ A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a 'controlled action' and requires approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).