Why I have doubts about large-scale hydro plants

Internal reports that have been hidden away for four years challenge Steven Miles’s claims that two large-scale hydro plants will be an endless source of cheap energy for a century.

Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Liam Kidston

Internal reports that have been hidden away for four years challenge Steven Miles’s claims that two large-scale hydro plants will be an endless source of cheap energy for a century.

The Premier is on the record as saying the multi-billion-dollar Borumba and Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro schemes would provide power not just for decades, but hundreds of years.

However, a new report summarising the project warns key components had “an economic life of 25-30 years” and this was “usual for the electro-mechanical plant”.
And it says control systems would have to be replaced every 10 to 15 years.

Maintenance would require careful staging with a “half-life refurbishment” to “see generators rewound, pump-turbines fitted with new bearings, seals and runners replaced, and other modifications to improve efficiency”.

At what cost?

And there are potentially bigger problems.

The State Government has not finalised tenders for massive underground tunnelling projects required to move large volumes of water from one reservoir to another, some 8km apart. In fact, some engineers warn extensive testing still must be done to determine whether tunneling is feasible at all.

The inability to dig the tunnels would likely kill the entire Pioneer-Burdekin project.

It appears the State Government is flying by the seat of its pants. Remember the government’s commitment to net-zero targets depends on the pumped-hydro being successful. Regrettably, I have my doubts.

Originally published as Why I have doubts about large-scale hydro plants