Key contracts awarded for the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project QLD

Major construction will soon start on the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro project (K2-Hydro) following the official awarding of contracts to key construction partners. 

Genex Power has signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with the joint venture between McConnell Dowell and John Holland Group. 

“This will be a gamechanger for the clean energy industry worldwide and our team is excited they can utilise their expertise to pave the way for an entirely new approach to large-scale energy storage,” Executive General Manager Infrastructure Andrew English said. 

The joint venture partners will undertake the delivery of dam infrastructure, underground works as well as the construction of an on-site generator infrastructure for the production of electricity and pumping of water. 

Genex Power has also engaged Beon to build the necessary grid connection and substation works, which will be used to link K2-Hydro to the transmission grid. 

In addition, Powerlink was given the “notice to proceed” by Genex Power to begin construction on a new transmission line between K2-Hydro and the main grid. Works will include building a new 186-kilometre 275kV transmission line from the project site to a new switching station at Mount Fox. 

“Following on the heels of our successful equity capital raising last week, which secured the final piece of the project financing for the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project, I am delighted that we have now executed all the project agreements and kicked off work to develop the transmission infrastructure which will connect the project to the National Electricity Market,” Genex Power CEO James Harding said. 

Project site (source: Genex Power)

A maintenance deal was also signed with Austrian company Andritz Hydro for ongoing maintenance works on K2-Hydro along with an owner's engineer contract with Entura. 

Furthermore, Genex Power has signed an energy storage agreement with EnergyAustralia. This contract will enable Genex Power to receive regular access payments from EnergyAustralia through the supply of additional electricity at key periods. 

K2-Hydro is located in Kidston, Far North Queensland – about 270 kilometres north west of Townsville – on the site of an abandoned gold mine. 

The project will utilise the two existing mining pits – Wises and Eldridge – as the upper and lower reservoirs as well as the mining accommodation, solid road access and airstrip. 

Once up and running, K2-Hydro will have a capacity of 250MW / 2,000MWh and a lifespan of 80 years. 

Source: John Holland; Renew Economy; Genex Power (1, 2)