David Crisafulli confirms LNP will scrap Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro plans if elected

David Crisafulli says an LNP government would look to build smaller pumped hydro projects instead of the controversial Pioneer-Burdekin proposal.

An LNP state government would look to build smaller pumped hydro projects after scraping the controversial Pioneer-Burdekin proposal championed by the state government.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, in his final budget reply speech for the term, confirmed an LNP government would not proceed with the 5GW pumped hydro project west of Mackay, calling it an unachievable “multibillion-dollar fantasy”.

Instead the Opposition will investigate opportunities for “smaller, more manageable pumped hydro projects”.

But there will be no preferential treatment for planning and environmental approvals, with Mr Crisafulli vowing to put the blowtorch on the smaller 2.4GW Borumba Pumped Hydro project during budget estimates in July.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli has vowed to scrap the controversial project. Picture: Liam Kidston

“This is a project without direct funding, no approvals and no social licence from the local community,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Let me be clear, the Pioneer-Burdekin project is not feasible, it will never be built and the government knows it.”

Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro is the centrepiece of the state government’s renewable energy transition plan and is central to hitting the government’s legislated renewable energy targets.

But it remains subject to financial, engineering, and environmental investigations and has not received sign-off for construction nor is it funded beyond a $1bn equity commitment in the latest budget papers.

Proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project, west of Mackay/

Treasurer Cameron Dick said Queensland’s “whole clean energy future” collapses without pumped hydro and called for Mr Crisafulli to explain if he would be “squeezing more life out of power plants that burn coal” to the detriment of the environment.

“That’s the bottom line for David Crisafulli, when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, there is no way to store that power and use that power without pumped hydro,” he said.

The government’s Hydro Studies Report from April this year, a summary of how it came to choose the Pioneer-Burdekin and Borumba sites, outlined that Queensland needed 6GW worth of pumped hydro lasting 24 hours by 2035.

According to the report, picking Pioneer-Burdekin meant the government could get to 6GW with two projects rather than three or more, thus reducing the “cumulative impact and cost” of long duration pumped hydro.

View of the Pioneer Valley, and how it will be changed by the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project's lower reservoir.

The state government announced Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro in September 2022 as the flagship project of the Queensland’s transition to renewable energy.

It has been previously revealed people in the towns due to be submerged for the project were not consulted and only found out about their homes would be lost on live television.

Taxpayers have forked out nearly $40m buying up close to 50 properties for the project.

The state government has flagged it will only make an investment decision on the project after it has given full and proper consideration to all advice received, which includes the business case and early environmental surveys.

A detailed analytical review was due to be handed to the government from Queensland Hydro in “mid-2024” but the government has since stated this will happen “at some point” in the year, thus likely pushing it beyond the October election.