Embattled Snowy Hydro slated over environment damage

The hits keep coming for Malcolm Turnbull’s green dream, with an influential environment group slating the project.

Snowy Hydro 2.0. Tantangara site where tunnelling machine Florence has begun her journey but is currently bogged. Jane Dempster/The Australian

Snowy Hydro 2.0 is failing to meet environmental standards critical to the $5.9bn mega pumped hydro project’s conditions of approval, according to a new report, sparking calls for Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to take action to protect Kosciuszko National Park.

Research from National Parks Association NSW has found more than 60 per cent of the project’s management plans are overdue by up to 31 months while no progress has been made on critical biosecurity or programs to manage threatened fish.

The report has also revealed the project was found to be non-compliant in 15 instances in a third independent environmental audit, and has failed to undertake corrective action to rectify environmental concerns.

The report comes after Snowy Hydro and its contractor, WeBuild, were hit with a $30,000 fine by the NSW Environment Protection Authority following two alleged pollution incidents in Kosciuszko National Park.

The multibillion-dollar project has been beset by delays, which have included the collapse of one of its main contractors, Clough, and the abrupt exit of a chief executive, Paul Broad.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes this month revealed that first power from the mega pumped-hydro project was now expected between June and December 2029 at the latest, almost five years behind its original projected completion date.

The project’s key building partner has also been facing accusations of payment delays to contractors, while workers have threatened to strike after maggot-infested food was served onsite.

The project – announced in 2017 by prime minister Malcolm Turnbull – has also had its star tunnelling machine forced to stop operations for months after it struggled with soft ground conditions in Kosciuszko, the machine having moved only 150m since it was deployed in March 2022.

According to the Department of Planning and Environment NSW, seven of 16 required environmental management plans had not been approved as of May 11. Just six had been completed, with the remaining 10 overdue by up to 31 months.

“It is clear that the CoA are not being complied with and that the environmental performance of Snowy Hydro and its contractor is unacceptable and declining,” the report said.

NPA NSW chief executive Gary Dunnett said Snowy Hydro had failed to comply with “strict” environmental conditions of approvals imposed by federal and NSW governments, and called for Ms Plibersek to intervene and force the project to comply with environmental rules.

“Environmental plans more than two years late, dozens of non-compliances, environmental performance breaches, failures to undertake corrective actions, and fines for pollution violations,” Mr Dunnett said. “(It’s) far from the world-class project management we were assured would protect Kosciuszko Park from damage.

“Snowy Hydro is failing environmental management basics.”

A spokeswoman for Snowy Hydro said the project was fully compliant with its conditions of approval and operating within its construction management plan.

She said it was “disappointing” the report was compiled without consultation with Snowy Hydro.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the it was inquiring into whether Snowy Hydro 2.0 was compliant with its federal approval condition.