News

SNOWY HYDRO PARTNERS WITH STARS FOUNDATION IN TUMUT

11/08/2023

Snowy Hydro is proud to announce a significant partnership with the Stars Foundation to support its new Tumut High School-based program that will deliver improved health, education and employment outcomes for local Indigenous girls and young women.

The three-year sponsorship for the inaugural Stars Foundation Tumut Program continues Snowy Hydro’s commitment to initiatives that support our local communities to develop and thrive.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the opportunity to assist the development of local Indigenous girls through the foundation’s intensive school-based mentoring was extremely important.

“This new sponsorship for the Stars Foundation will help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in the Tumut region to realise their potential in all aspects of their development and wellbeing,” Dennis said. “We want to see these students shine.

“Snowy already has a successful partnership with the Clontarf Foundation in Tumut, which supports Indigenous boys to continue their schooling.

“Enabling the Stars Foundation to deliver their mentoring and engagement programs to Indigenous young women in the same area is exciting for us.

“It’s not only about funding the Stars Foundation’s work – Snowy Hydro also has the chance to encourage students’ studies in science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) fields and highlight career pathways with Snowy through work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships.

“Snowy Hydro is a major employer and community supporter in the Snowy Mountains region, delivering many training and education opportunities, and we want to invest in the success of local people.

“We believe that by empowering these young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, Snowy Hydro is not only supporting students; but their families, communities and future generations.”

Established in 2015, the Stars Foundation provides a holistic mentoring program that supports more than 2,800 female First Nations students in primary and secondary schools across six states and territories.

The Foundation’s key indicators have shown that through this program, there is an increase in school attendance (82% attendance) 13% higher than the Indigenous student average, resulting in over 90% of senior students completing Year 12 every year since Stars programs began. 85% of graduates successfully transition into further study or employment within six months of school completion.

News

STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM SNOWY HYDRO LOCAL SCHOOL STEM FUND

26/06/2023

Hundreds of students across 18 Snowy Mountains schools will benefit from Snowy Hydro’s inaugural Local School STEM Fund program. The 2023 funding has been allocated to both primary and secondary from public and private schools to provide students with hands-on interactive experiences, challenging their creativity and critical thinking.

Through the program, Snowy Hydro has supported a varied range of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) initiatives, including an aquaponics project, 3D printers, a First Nations Science Camp, upgrades to equipment in science classrooms, development of a robotics club, enhancement of resources, the establishment and expansion of school programs and clubs, and the launch of various projects such as a sustainable garden and a township design.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the collaboration with local schools will encourage and promote problem-solving skills for students, both in and out of the classroom and assist their career pathways.

“The funding is just one example of Snowy Hydro’s ongoing commitment to education and development in support of STEM, particularly among our local communities,” Dennis said.

The real-world application of STEM allows students to interact with the subject material and develop a diverse range of skill sets. By seeing the outcomes of STEM throughout their lives and assessing the outcomes for themselves, their schools, community and surrounding environments, a unique and engaging learning space is created.

Dennis said he was proud to announce the Local School STEM fund was “supporting schools in 10 locations, providing approximately $160,000 of funding to contribute to the growth of local students.”

The outcomes of the funded initiatives will assist students with the understanding of sustainability, combine ancient knowledge and modern technology, build on existing STEM skills, develop critical thinking, strengthen student confidence and promote the balance of research and design.

To further engagement and involvement with education, Snowy Hydro is committed to continuing this beneficial program. The next round of applications will open in February 2024.

For more information about Snowy Hydro’s Local School STEM Fund visit:

https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/local-school-stem-fund-2/

News

SNOWY HYDRO YEAR 9 CAREERS OPEN DAY

27/03/2023

At Snowy Hydro we understand the importance of developing students for the careers of the future, so we are excited to be hosting our inaugural Year 9 Careers Open Day on Thursday 30 March 2023.

The initiative, which is aimed at schools in the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys and Towong local government areas, continues our strong focus on educational programs that spark an interest in science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) for local young people.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the Year 9 Careers Open Day would allow students to go behind the scenes at the Snowy head office in Cooma to explore the diversity of STEM careers.

“More than 100 students will hear from some of our engineers, climate scientists and technology experts and enjoy interesting, hands-on activities,” Dennis said.

“They’ll learn about Snowy Hydro’s operations and the amazing Snowy Scheme, participate in quality learning experiences, discuss STEM-related career pathways and learn how different engineering roles use maths on a daily basis.

“By showcasing what we do here at Snowy and what opportunities there are for local kids with an interest in STEM, we hope to inspire a future generation of engineers, scientists and technical specialists.

“The Year 9 Careers Open Day will also help students with their subject selections for year 10 and beyond.”

Students will begin their day at Snowy Hydro with a welcome from senior leaders. They’ll experience the fantastic Discovery Centre immersive theatre with a Snowy Scheme virtual flyover, visit the generation operations control room and learn about work experience, traineeships and apprenticeships and tertiary pathways at Snowy.

And that’s just the start!

Snowy Hydro is proud to be launching the Year 9 Careers Open Day in 2023 and establishing it as a fixture on the local schools’ calendar for years to come.

News

SNOWY HYDRO SUPPORT FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS

27/02/2023

Grants of up to $10,000 are now available for Snowy Mountains schools and community groups as part of Snowy Hydro’s ongoing commitment to the local region.

In addition to the biannual Community Grants Program, Snowy Hydro has launched an exciting initiative in 2023 – the Local School STEM Fund – to inspire and increase access to STEM-based learning opportunities for the next generation of local innovators.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said Snowy was dedicated to fostering education opportunities and career pathways for local young people with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

“The Local School STEM Fund is a great way to support students in our area by giving them access to more learning and experience-based opportunities. Hopefully this will inspire kids to study further and seek a career in STEM fields, which is good news for Snowy Hydro as a major local employer,” Mr Barnes said.

“The launch of this fund is the latest addition to our ongoing commitment to STEM in the community – we have been been engaging with local schools, parents and children for more than six years with initiatives such as the Science of the Snowy competition, Next Generation Education Hub and, Tunnel Boring Naming Competition, to name a few.”

Applications for the new Local School STEM Fund are open until Friday 3 March. Local schools can apply for funding of up to $10,000 to support science, technology engineering and maths (STEM)-related excursions, student sponsorships, equipment and camps.

Round one of Snowy Hydro’s 2023 Community Grants Program is also open now and accepting applications for funding of up to $10,000 from eligible local organisations and community groups for projects, activities and events.

The application period closes on Wednesday 15 March and all grant applications are assessed against a standard set of criteria. There is a second round of grants available under the program starting in September this year.

Applications for both the Local School STEM Fund (by 3 March) and Community Grants Program (by 15 March) must be completed online via the Snowy Hydro website.

For more information about Snowy Hydro’s Local School STEM Fund and to apply, visit: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/localstemfund/
For more information about Snowy Hydro’s Community Grants Program and to apply, visit: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/communitygrantsprogram/

News

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

18/01/2023

Snowy Hydro is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Dennis Barnes as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective 1 February 2023.

Chairman David Knox said the Board was delighted to appoint Mr Barnes to the role and is confident that he will continue to strengthen Snowy Hydro’s position as a leading integrated energy generator and retailer.

“We are thrilled to appoint someone of Dennis’ calibre and extensive energy sector experience to lead Snowy Hydro into the future,” Mr Knox said.

“Dennis has over three decades’ experience in the energy sector, with a focus on renewables and retail. His appointment brings a wealth of strategic knowledge and proven capability in delivering strong performance across large energy businesses at an exciting time for Snowy Hydro.”

Mr Barnes was most recently CEO of ASX/NZX-listed Contact Energy, guiding the company through a period of significant change, including the separation from Australian majority shareholder Origin Energy and the completion of a NZ$2billion investment programme encompassing renewable generation and enterprise-wide systems.

Prior to this, Mr Barnes also held several senior executive roles at Origin Energy, including as General Manager, Energy Risk Management and General Manager, Generation Operations; and he currently serves as a non-executive director of Tilt Renewables and Mercury NZ.

“I am excited about the prospect of working with the excellent team at Snowy Hydro, a truly iconic Australian business, at a complex and important time for our entire sector. I am also particularly looking forward to building strong connections with our stakeholders and the communities we serve and operate in, as we address the major issues our sector must focus on,” Mr Barnes said.

The appointment follows a comprehensive local and international executive search process. Roger Whitby, who has been Acting Chief Executive Officer since August will resume his role as Chief Operating Officer.

“I would like to acknowledge and thank Roger for his leadership, commitment and steady guidance during this period of transition for the company,” said Mr Knox.

[ends]

Dennis Barnes – brief overview of career history

Current: Non-executive director of Mercury Energy NZ and Tilt Renewables.
2011-2020: Chief Executive Officer of Contact Energy, a New Zealand-based electricity generator and retailer.
- Completed a $2B investment program in renewable and flexible generation and enterprise-wide systems.
- Successfully managed the change in ownership, including listing on the ASX.
- Led significant turnaround and several major construction projects.
- Optimised the asset portfolio, developing the best geothermal capability in New Zealand and highly innovative retail business.
1998-2011: various senior executive roles at Origin Energy
Prior roles at Scottish Power, Scottish & Southern Energy and Norweb in the United Kingdom
Began his career as a Metallurgist with Alcan
Holds a BSc (Hons), GradDip (Marketing) and MBA.

News

ADAMINABY TRUCK PARKING PROJECT

21/12/2022

Snowy Hydro is proud to be supporting a Snowy Monaro Regional Council project providing new truck parking bays in Adaminaby.

Six 3-metre wide and 30-metre long sealed parking bays will be built on the Snowy Mountains Highway in Adaminaby, allowing heavy vehicles to safely stop for logbook, food and drink breaks.

Acting Snowy Hydro CEO Roger Whitby said a $188,000 contribution from Snowy Hydro would assist council in delivering an important improvement for the town.

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Snowy Monaro Regional Council on the truck parking bays project,” Mr Whitby said.

“There is a lack of heavy vehicle parking areas between Cooma and Tumut, along with increased numbers of heavy vehicles passing through Adaminaby with the Snowy 2.0 project. So this is an opportunity to help with a really good legacy initiative that will benefit the town’s economy,” Mr Whitby said.

“Truck drivers taking a break in Adaminaby on their trips through the Snowy Mountains will have fit-for-purpose, sealed and lit bays to park their vehicles in.

“This improves safety for them and other road users, and means heavy vehicles will no longer need to park in residential areas of the town.”

The truck parking project, which is being conducted in consultation with Transport for NSW, will get underway early in 2023.

A temporary repair has been carried out to the area in front of the Big Trout statue in Adaminaby for long vehicle parking in the short-term.

In addition to the truck parking initiative, a separate council project will provide permanent parking facilities in Adaminaby that accommodate long vehicle parking for cars towing boats and caravans, along with recreational vehicles.

The two projects are scheduled for completion by April 2024, weather conditions permitting.

The Adaminaby parking projects are proudly funded by the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund, which is part of the $4.5 billion bushfire support program co-funded by the Australian and NSW governments for bushfire recovery, response and preparedness in NSW.

News

STUDENTS FLOCK TO COUNTRY UNIVERSITIES CENTRES

30/11/2022

New data from the 2021 census has revealed that Country Universities Centres (CUCs) are leading the way in university student growth across regional NSW.

Over the past five years, university student numbers in NSW towns with CUCs grew by 24.7% compared with an average 5.4% for all non-metropolitan areas.

Snowy Hydro co-founded the very first CUC in Cooma in 2013 and remains an integral supporter of the higher education centre by jointly funding it together with Snowy Monaro Regional Council.

The CUC initiative enables regional and rural university students to study close to home in a campus-like environment with learning facilities, technology including access to computers, wifi, printers, video conferencing and support staff.

Snowy Hydro Acting CEO Roger Whitby said the long-running Cooma CUC partnership continues to be highly successful.

“CUCs are helping to stop the brain drain – they allow regional students to stay in their communities, have access to tertiary education in a supportive environment and ultimately provide local employers, including Snowy Hydro, with qualified workers,” Mr Whitby said.

“Typically there is a high drop-out rate with people studying online courses because they can feel isolated, so the CUC offers real benefits.”

Cooma has seen a university student increase of 64% over the last two census periods (2011-2021), compared with an average 17.5% for non-metro NSW.

Following the success of the Cooma CUC pilot, a further five centres opened in Broken Hill, Goulburn, Grafton, Griffith/Leeton and Narrabri/Moree in 2018-19.

The network of centres has since grown to 20 regional communities across NSW, Queensland and Victoria with the additional support of the NSW Government and the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Skills and Employment through the Regional University Centres program.

Find out more about Snowy Hydro’s partnership with Country Universities Centre: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/ourpartners/country-universities-centre/

Students studying at university by locality

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census data

CUC locations and year of opening	Increase 2011-2021	Increase 2016-2021
Cooma (2013)	* 64.1%
Broken Hill (2018)		22.8%
Goulburn (2018)		18.4%
Grafton (2019)		32.3%
Griffith and Leeton (2019)		33.8%
Narrabri and Moree (2019)		16.0%
CUC centre average increase		24.7%
NSW university students – non-metro	17.5%	5.4%

*Only the Cooma CUC was operating during the 2016 Census.

News

IN THE SWIM AT TALBINGO RESERVOIR

16/11/2022

Snowy Hydro’s Talbingo Reservoir and its new swimming, picnic and boating facilities will be a focal point for the local community and visitors over summer.

Snowy’s acting CEO Roger Whitby, the Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr and Snowy Valleys Council Mayor Ian Chaffey recently had the opportunity to view the upgraded recreation area as part of the Tumut 3 Power Station 50th birthday celebrations.

The facilities include a safe swimming beach with improved pedestrian access and car parking, a large picnic shelter, grassed areas, a widened two-lane boat ramp and new mooring pontoon.

Snowy Hydro contributed $560,000 to the recreation area project, with the NSW Government investing $850,000. Snowy Valleys Council managed construction of the project, which was completed in February this year.

Mr Whitby said Snowy Hydro always proudly supports the local communities it lives and operates in.

“We have been extremely pleased to contribute to this recreation improvement project in Talbingo, a town constructed as part of the mighty Snowy Scheme and just down the road from Tumut 3 Power Station.

“We think the community and the many visitors who come to the area for fishing, water skiing and swimming will really enjoy the upgraded amenities.

“The new facilities allow boats to continue using Talbingo Reservoir while swimmers have a safe and friendly spot to keep cool.”

News

SNOWY HYDRO JOINS WITH COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE 50th BIRTHDAY FOR TUMUT 3 POWER STATION

05/11/2022

Large crowds have turned out for a community open day and 50th birthday celebrations for the largest of the mighty Snowy Scheme’s power stations, Tumut 3, at Talbingo.

With the iconic white penstocks as backdrop, local community members and visitors today joined Snowy Hydro in acknowledging the remarkable role the Tumut 3 Power Station has played providing critical energy supply and water services to eastern Australia since 1972.

Snowy Hydro acting CEO Roger Whitby said Tumut 3 was the first and biggest pumped-hydro facility in Australia.

“The Snowy Scheme’s fast start, reliable clean energy generation keeps the lights on – literally – for millions of people and our pumped-hydro capability here at T3 is integral to this,” Mr Whitby said. “We generate at peak periods or when there is a shortfall of other energy sources, and pump when demand and wholesale energy prices are low, reusing and recycling the water.

“Tumut 3 Power Station has been operating reliably and safely for 50 years, with decades more service to come.

“The longevity of this asset is testament to its quality design, engineering, construction and maintenance. I would like to thank and express my appreciation to those who have played a part in Tumut 3’s history, especially those former workers who have attended the event today.”

Mr Whitby, along with the Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr and Snowy Valleys Council Mayor Ian Chaffey, led the official proceedings at the community open day.

Visitors to the event enjoyed a range of activities including power station tours, bus tours of the reservoir and penstocks, live music, food vendors, and activities for the kids from Snowy Hydro’s Next Generation Education Hub and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Tumut 3 Power Station facts

T3 is the largest power station in the Snowy Scheme and the first pumped-hydro facility in Australia.
The station has a total generating capacity of 1,800MW. That is enough electricity to power more than half a million homes.
Three of the six units are capable of both generating and pumping, meaning that we can recycle water between Jounama Pondage and Talbingo Reservoir.
Each of the penstocks are 488m long and 5.6m in diameter.
They are full all of the time, holding over 12,000 tonnes of water.
If all three pumps are running, water from Jounama Pondage is pumped at a rate of 297 cubic metres per second.
Talbingo Dam was completed in 1970 – the dam height is 161 metres.
Talbingo Reservoir’s gross capacity is 921,400,000m3, which is almost twice the size of Sydney Harbour.

News

TUMUT 3 POWER STATION OPEN DAY – REGISTER NOW

04/10/2022

It’s Tumut 3 Power Station’s 50th birthday and to mark the occasion, Snowy Hydro is celebrating with a community open day on Saturday 5 November!

We have a wide range of activities, tours and information sessions planned onsite at Tumut 3 (T3) in Talbingo, so register now – it’s easy, just visit our website and complete the online form.

Acting Snowy Hydro CEO Roger Whitby said the iconic white penstocks of T3 were known throughout Australia and a visit to the station would provide the public with an insight into Snowy Hydro’s operations.

“We are delighted to welcome the community to an open day at T3, which is the largest power station in the Snowy Scheme and the first and biggest pumped-hydro facility in Australia,” Mr Whitby said.

“We’re celebrating the station’s 50th birthday, which underlines the longevity and critical nature of the Snowy Scheme hydro generation and storage assets.

“We understand visiting T3 would be a major highlight for many people so we’re asking that everyone who intends to come along on Saturday 5 November registers online.

“They will be contacted with important information prior to the event.”

Once you have registered for the Tumut 3 Power Station 50th celebration and open day, please plan your trip, as parking for private vehicles will be limited. There will also be bus transport available, with coaches departing from Tumut and Cooma on the day.

Open day highlights:

Tours of Tumut 3 Power Station
Bus tours to Talbingo Reservoir and the top of Tumut 3 penstocks.
Fun and educational activities hosted by the Snowy Hydro Next Generation education program.
Local vendors will provide food and coffee throughout the festivities.
A range of activities and entertainment are also planned for the celebrations.

Keep checking the official event web page, which will be progressively updated with information and stay tuned to Snowy Hydro’s social media channels.

News

SNOWY HYDRO COMMUNITY GRANTS ROUND 2 – APPLY NOW!

09/09/2022

Do you have a project, activity or event that benefits the local communities of the Snowy Mountains and surrounds? You may be eligible for a Snowy Hydro community grant of up to $10,000.

Snowy Hydro is a long-time major supporter of local people and community initiatives, with the 2022 community grants program now open for round 2 applications.

Snowy Hydro Acting CEO Roger Whitby said the company was pleased to provide grant funding opportunities to local not-for-profit organisations.

“We are proud to be a part of our local communities and want to support the great ideas and energy of people contributing positively to them.

“Our grants are available for projects and events that align with Snowy Hydro’s four social commitment pillars of education and development, health and wellbeing, regional capacity building and environment.”

In the first round of Snowy Hydro’s Community Grants Program earlier this year, there were more than 30 grant applications, with 13 receiving funding. Projects and initiatives that were supported included a Cooma Landcare rehabilitation project, establishment of an indigenous interpretive walking trail in Tumbarumba, and the Hume & Hovell ultra marathon event through Corryong and Khancoban.

Mr Whitby encouraged community members to find out more about the community grants program. “If you have an event or initiative that may be eligible for support, I encourage you to apply,” he said.

All applications must be received via the online form on our website. Please also carefully review associated information about grants eligibility, assessment criteria and Snowy Hydro’s grant guidelines before applying, to avoid disappointment.

Importantly, the location of the event/initiative must be within the Snowy Monaro Regional and Snowy Valleys council areas, or in Corryong, Victoria.

Applications for round 2 of the Snowy Hydro Community Grants Program must be received by Saturday 15 October. Following the evaluation period, applicants will be advised of the outcome by 30 November 2022.

News

DRIVING HOME ROAD SAFETY TO THE NEXT GENERATION

13/05/2022

Snowy Hydro is committed to ensuring the next generation of locals are equipped with the skills and knowledge to help keep them safe on the roads, with the long-running Young Driver Program playing a crucial role.

For four years Snowy Hydro has partnered with Driving Solutions to provide local students with young driver training. This month more than 275 local young people participated in the program, which helps prepare Learner and Provisional drivers for the driving conditions they face on Snowy Mountains roads.

Since its inception in 2002, the Snowy Hydro Young Driver Program has provided more than 1,600 local students with the opportunity to improve their driving skills and become safer drivers.

Snowy Hydro CEO and Managing Director Paul Broad said the program demonstrated Snowy Hydro’s continued commitment to the safety and well-being of young people living in the Snowy Mountains region.

“The Snowy Hydro Young Driver Program delivers learning exercises and activities that give our local kids the skills and knowledge to help keep them safe on our unique and at times, challenging, mountain roads,” Mr Broad said.

“These young and inexperienced drivers gain so much from the program – it’s really valuable and we at Snowy Hydro are proud to play a part in ensuring greater safety on the roads where we live and work.”

The program covered topics such as correct seating position and the importance of understanding the difference between vehicles with anti-lock brake systems (ABS) and vehicles without ABS. Students were taught when to fit snow chains on their vehicles while travelling in snow and ice conditions. They were also shown the correct way to use and fit snow chains on a vehicle.
The activities and exercises provided useful and practical knowledge to assist the students when behind the wheel. Topics included driver attitudes and the effects of distractions when driving, such as mobile phones, passengers and vehicle navigation. Other practical skills were also discussed including how to understand correct and incorrect tyre pressure on their vehicles.