Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro

Planning a solution to generate rapid response, flexible power to help mitigate the challenges of a network with more renewables. BACKGROUND Genex Power is an Australian publicly-listed company focusing on the production and storage of renewable energy. The 250MW Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project is one of the company’s cornerstone projects. Situated some 270km North West of Townsville, near the township of Georgetown, the project is located on the site of the historic Kidston Gold Mine. The abandoned mine site contains two large adjacent pits with the potential to act as the upper and lower reservoirs required for pumped storage hydropower generation. Genex Power engaged Entura to deliver a bankable feasibility study for the project. SOLUTION Partnering with power and design consultants HydroChina, Entura brought a utility-owner perspective, deep local experience, regulatory knowledge and optimisation capability to the feasibility stage project. In addition to the feasibility study, Entura oversaw subcontracted investigations, including geotechnical investigations and a bathymetric survey. We also facilitated environmental and planning approvals for the project site. Following detailed market studies undertaken by Genex and its financial consultants to assess the pricing and revenue impacts of the various options considered, it was determined that a 250MW scheme with six hours of continuous generation, totalling a nominal 1,500 MWh of energy storage capacity, would be the optimal size. OUTCOME Entura completed the technical feasibility study of the Kidston Pumped Storage Project in 13 months. The study concluded that all of the key risks identified at the pre-feasibility stage, and any additional risks identified during the study, have been appropriately mitigated or addressed through detailed design augmentation and optimisation undertaken by Entura and project partner HydroChina.