About the project
The Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro project is a 250-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric power generation facility located within the decommissioned Kidston gold mine in North Queensland. Designed to generate, store and dispatch renewable energy on demand during peak periods, the projects 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.
| Proponent | Genex Power Limited |
| Location | Kidston, Queensland approximately 280 km north-west of Townsville. |
| Local government | Etheridge Shire Council |
| Jobs |
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| Investment | $777 million |
| Construction start date | 2021 |
| Construction end date | 2026 |
Latest updates
Construction commenced in April 2021.
When operational, it will generate 250 megawatts of power for up to 8 hours for North Queensland. Operation of the project will be underpinned by Energy Australia under an Energy Storage Services Agreement for up to 30 years
Environmental impact assessment process
This project has been declared a coordinated project by the Coordinator-General under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971. We play a role making sure benefits and risks are managed through a rigorous assessment process, and that approvals are coordinated across local, state and federal jurisdictions. Find out more about the coordinated project environmental impact assessment process.
| Declaration date | 28 September 2018 |
| Assessment process | Coordinated project requiring an impact assessment report (IAR) |
| Current stage | IAR approved with conditions |
Assessment milestones
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 27 April 2021 | Coordinator-General’s report on project change ( 145 KB) released.
|
| 24 September 2019 | Coordinator-General correspondence to Genex Power Limited ( 306 KB).
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| 22 May 2019 | Coordinator-General correspondence to Genex Power Limited ( 230 KB).
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| 5 April 2019 | Coordinator-General’s report on the IAR ( 2.4 MB) release.
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| 28 March 2019 | The Coordinator-General accepted the draft IAR as the final IAR. Impact assessment report ( Supplementary information to the IAR ( IAR sections, submitted:
|
| 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.
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| 28 September 2018 | Application, including initial advice statement submitted. |
Further information
- Find out what it means to have a project declared ‘coordinated’ – with details of the process, the benefits and what kinds of projects can potentially be declared.
- Explore other coordinated projects.