Engineers challenge government on Burdekin hydro scheme
A group of energy and dam experts have challenged the state government to let the private sector develop the Burdekin dam after it announced a new damn project near Mackay.
Townsville
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A dam engineer has called on Energy Minister Mick de Brenni to back his words with real intent and call expressions of interest for the further development of Burdekin Falls Dam.
Dick Cerny, a Townsville resident, was commenting after Mr de Brenni told a media conference in Townsville a private sector hydro project can proceed on the dam if it stacks up.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in 2017 that state-owned generator Stanwell would reinvest $100m in dividends to help build a Burdekin hydro scheme but in 2020 the government quietly shelved the project.
Now the government has announced a $12bn hydro scheme based on three new dams to be developed on the Eungella Range and Pioneer Valley west of Mackay.
Mr de Brenni told the media conference on Friday the government believed Pioneer Valley was the “best” hydro site in Queensland but that this did not preclude a privately funded scheme on the Burdekin.
“Our energy plan is about the backbone that we need to deliver, to ensure that the customers of companies like Aurizon have access to the renewable energy they need to remain competitive globally. It doesn’t exclude other projects from coming forward,” Mr de Brenni said.
“We welcome other proposals. If they stack up, then they can proceed.”
Mr Cerny has worked on big hydro projects in Australia, Canada and the United States and is part of a group of six leading Australian hydro and energy experts lobbying governments to not only further develop the Burdekin dam to its original storage and hydro potential but to upgrade its walls to prevent a potential catastrophe should they fail.
They also see benefits for the Great Barrier Reef by preventing flood silt plumes which can also cause Crown of Thorns starfish plagues.
Mr Cerny said the existing stage one of the Burdekin dam already had huge energy potential with the amount of water running over its spillway annually worth up to $300m in hydro generation.
He said the dam was designed for a further 14.6m wall raising, quadrupling its storage, and for 1500 megawatt of hydro generation. All the land to be inundated had also been previously acquired by the government.
Mr Cerny said the private sector would be interested to further develop the dam.
Given suitable lease arrangements, he said the private sector could also strengthen its walls to ensure it met Australian National Committee on Large Dams standards.
“Burdekin dam does not satisfy current ANCOLD gravity dam guidelines for stability for the current hazard category and the present weather patterns are slowing,” Mr Cerny said.
“Hurricanes Harvey, Florence and Dorian stalled and dropped biblical volumes of water that would topple the existing dam if a similar event occurred in the Burdekin catchment.
“Mr de Brenni should put his money where his mouth is and call for expressions of interest and lay out a mechanism.
“If they invite expressions of interest, I’m sure the private sector would respond.”
Mr Cerny’s group, including dam and electrical engineers Simon Bartlett, David Tanner, Richard Rodd, Roger Stilwell and Jim Ryan, have written to Ms Palaszczuk and federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek asking the government to consider their ideas for the Burdekin dam.
In their September 29 letter, they say a Burdekin pumped storage hydro scheme has been overlooked and is “worthy of discussion”.
They are yet to get a response.
Originally published as Engineers challenge government on Burdekin hydro scheme
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