Alinta Energy has selected Gamuda and Ferrovial Construction as the early contractor involvement (ECI) partners for its Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro project within the New England Renewable Energy Zone in New South Wales.
Related article: Crisafulli scraps Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro project
“Gamuda and Ferrovial will progress the project’s design and undertake initial procurement discussions to better understand contractor capabilities and resources at every level—from national to local,” Alinta said in a statement.
“As the project has yet to receive its final approvals or reach a final investment decision, these discussions will be preliminary in nature and not a guarantee of future work with the project.”
Situated adjacent to the Macleay River between Armidale and Kempsey, Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro is the most advanced pumped hydro project in New South Wales.
It will bring much-needed, long-duration storage and reliability to the National Electricity Market, generating up to 900MW of electricity and storing enough water for up to eight hours of dispatchable energy at full generation for 100-plus years.
Pumping and releasing water between two reservoirs on private land (away from the Macleay River) means there’s no need to dam the Macleay River for the project, and it won’t have a net impact on local water use.
Related article: Stanwell to add first pumped hydro project to its portfolio
It will also result in many market and environmental benefits, including an annual reduction of approximately 400,000 tonnes of CO2-e in generation emissions.
Alinta Energy is aiming for the project to commence operating around 2030.
