The Capricornia Energy Hub Pumped Hydroelectric System is a proposed 750-megawatt (MW) pump and generation facility. The project would have the capacity to dispatch this power over 16 hours, giving the facility a total storage capacity of 12 gigawatt hours (GWh) and a water transfer volume of 18.1 gigalitres (GL).
The project forms Stage One of the Capricornia Energy Hub.
The project site is to be located approximately 80 kilometres west of Mackay in North Queensland, approximately 10 kilometres west of Eungella and near the existing Eungella Dam.
The scope of works includes:
- two reservoirs: the upper being a valley fill reservoir and the lower being an in-stream reservoir in the Broken River
- a powerhouse
- tunnels or pipes linking the reservoirs and the powerhouse, and
- an 18-kilometre transmission line and substation.
Key Dates
| Apr 2023 | Project Announcement |
| Feb 2024 | ROIs Open |
| Mar 2024 | ROIs Close |
| Jan 2025 | Contract Award |
| 2026 | Expected Construction Commencement |
| 2031 | Expected Construction Completion |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Capricornia Energy Hub Owned and managed by Copenhagan Infrastructure Partners |
| Successful Tenderer: | Gamuda-Ferrovial Joint Venture (GFJV) - Early Contractor Involvement |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Aug 2022 | Queensland Government-owned CS Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bowen Renewable Energy Hub for the pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) component of the project. |
| Aug 2022 | Bowen Renewable Energy Partners signed a Memorandum with Queensland Government-owned CS Energy to deliver the project, with options for Power Purchase Agreements to be established. |
| Feb 2024 | A Registration for Expressions of Interest process opened for the project, closing on 6 March 2024. |
| Jan 2025 | An Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract was awarded to a Gamuda-Ferrovial Joint Venture. The ECI process is expected to run for five months, prior to the awarding of an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contract. |
| Mar 2025 | The project was included in the Federal Government's inaugural Renewable Energy Priority List. The Priority List aims to provide coordinated support through Federal, state and territory regulatory and environmental approval processes on a case-by-case basis and provide a 'faster to yes, faster to no' approach to regulatory approvals. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2024)
Sector
Energy
Procurement approach
Other |
Location
Queensland |
Resources
