Borumba Dam pumped hydro plant timeline outlined in government report

A new report into plans to transform one of the Mary Valley’s popular tourist spots into a key piece of Queensland’s renewable energy ‘SuperGrid’ has revealed how soon construction could start.

Work to transform Borumba Dam into a key piece of Queensland’s electrical “SuperGrid” could be underway within three years.

The state government’s latest report into plans to build a 2000 megawatt pumped hydro plant at the dam have outlined a time frame for the project which has been flagged as a crucial part its renewable energy future.

Under the preliminary timeline, construction on the upper and lower dam, caverns and tunnels is forecast to begin in 2025.

Environmental and technical studies were earmarked for 2024.

The dam itself would take four years to build.

The government would begin designing the transmission corridor in 2023 and buying back the land it needed for the power lines over three years.

The state government and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk hope to have construction on the 2000 MW Borumba Dam pumped hydro plant started by 2025, and the plant running by 2031, according to a timeline outlined by the government.

Construction of those lines were to be finished by 2028.

The upper reservoir would be filled starting form 2029, and the hydro plant would be fully operational by 2031.

The report says the cost of building the hub at Borumba “is yet to be determined”.

Online global energy media hub Power Technology estimated it could cost about $1.13bn.

Gympie Regional Council Mayor Glen Hartwig said there were issues the State needed to address ahead of construction, including environmental concerns and where workers would stay amid an ongoing housing crisis.

But he said he had “faith they will be addressed”.

The design will require building an upper reservoir at Borumba Dam.

He said while it would be “good for the region”, Mr Hartwig urged the State to also expand Borumba’s fishing and water sports infrastructure.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” Mr Hartwig said.

Borumba’s pumped hydro plant is part of Queensland’s push towards clean energy, with a goal of 80 per cent of the state’s power being provided by renewables by 2035.

A state government press release last week said that the Borumba plant would be able to power about two million homes.

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig said there were environmental and housing issues the State Government had to work through on the Borumba Dam pumped hydro proposal. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The statement said the project, in conjunction with another hydro plant earmarked to be built 70km west of Mackay, would create 4000 construction jobs over 10 years.

Any parts of the Imbil State Forest impacted by the Borumba plant would be offset, the state said.

“We will keep our coal fired power stations as back up capacity until replacement pumped hydro energy storage is operational,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“We will be able to turn the stations back on if something goes wrong.”