Former Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley has been appointed to the board of Snowy Hydro just seven months after she was ousted as Liberal party leader by Angus Taylor in a party room vote.
Ley will take up a seat on the board along with Merryn York, who retired from her role as executive general manager system design at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) last year.
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Ley’s appointment is perplexing given her stance against renewable energy as Liberal party leader, during which time she consistently voted against against increasing investment in renewables.
Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen congratulated Ley and York on their appointments to the Snowy Hydro Board, saying, “Sussan brings extensive experience in government and regional Australia, as well as a strong understanding of Snowy 2.0 and Merryn brings decades of experience across Australia’s electricity system, including transmission planning, system design and the integration of renewable energy.”
Snowy Hydro is currently building Snowy 2.0—Australia’s largest committed renewable energy and pumped hydro storage project. The massive energy storage project is needed to support cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable power as ageing coal-fired generators retire.
Initially costed at $12 billion, the project has been beleaguered by cost blowouts and delays. A further cost reassessment was announced in October 2025 but is yet to be released. Some experts believe the final price tag will exceed $20 billion.
The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has commenced an inquiry into Snowy Hydro Limited’s management of the Snowy 2.0 project following a major project reset in August 2023.
Committee chair Josh Burns MP said, “Snowy 2.0 is vital for Australia’s energy future but the project has seen delays, growing costs and performance issues. The Committee wants to understand Snowy Hydro Limited’s management of these issues and the lessons for other major public infrastructure projects.
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“The financial risks of massive public projects like Snowy 2.0 rest with Australian taxpayers. The Parliament needs to ensure there are strong governance, risk management, forecasting, and oversight arrangements in place to see this project completed.”
