Hells Gates Pumped Hydro Scheme a quick win for government's renewables target

Townsville Enterprise congratulates Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on her investment into pumped hydro and in regional Queensland but urges the State to support more advanced projects.

The State’s Energy and Jobs Plan indicates that a feasibility study has not been completed for the recently announced Pioneer Valley pumped hydro project.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said that the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is only the beginning of the conversation and urges the Premier to consider more advanced projects that will achieve the State’s renewable energy target sooner.

“Both of the pumped hydro projects announced by the Premier and included in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan are in the very early stages,” Mrs Brumme-Smith said.

“We can have the Hells Gates Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme operational six years from environmental approvals, much sooner than the proposed projects in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. This project already has a feasibility study, and we know it stacks up for North Queensland.”

“Further to this, Hells Gates Dam has completed its business case which has been delivered to the State and Federal governments in May 2022. We are in discussions with the State Government and there is $220M committed in the current Federal budget which the State needs to secure for our region and to move this project into the pre-construction phase.”

“Together with the Hells Gates Dam, the Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme will secure the future of Townsville North Queensland by enabling renewable energy, agriculture, population growth and jobs.”

“We want to support the Queensland Government’s vision for energy transition as per the Energy and Jobs Plan and we look forward to unlocking the North’s potential.”