News

RESPONSE TO NPA REVIEW OF SNOWY 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

12/04/2024

Snowy Hydro acknowledges and thanks the National Parks Association of NSW’s ongoing attention to matters relevant to Kosciuszko National Park, including the construction of Snowy 2.0.

As a longtime operator of the Snowy Scheme within Kosciuszko National Park, we recognise the park is a sensitive environment with high conservation values that require protection. We continue to seek ways to make positive contributions to Kosciuszko National Park through actions such as road improvements and a $100 million investment to improve the biodiversity and recreational values of the park.

Snowy Hydro takes its environmental management obligations very seriously and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that the construction and operation of Snowy 2.0 is carried out in a manner that is compliant with all applicable laws and project approvals.

The NPA refers to Snowy 2.0 environmental management plans, the project’s Independent Environmental Audits (IEAs), and state government compliance actions.

There are six management plans yet to be approved and these relate to the management of environmental impacts during the Snowy 2.0 commissioning and operations phase only, which is a couple of years away, not current construction activities. Despite this, progress of each of these plans is well advanced and are either awaiting input from relevant stakeholder organisations or are being revised following formal feedback. Snowy Hydro is actively engaging with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) on the progress of each plan.

Snowy Hydro undertakes more IEAs than are required under the project approvals due to the sensitive nature of the environment and the scope of the Snowy 2.0 project. Of the 12 non-compliances identified from 372 elements assessed under the most recent IEA, none caused any actual harm and all are being rectified as a matter of priority.

The Snowy 2.0 project has been the subject of several compliance actions by EPA and DPHI over the last two years and in each case, important lessons have been learned that have informed improvements to policies, procedures and site practices. Snowy Hydro continues to take these matters very seriously and implement steps to ensure that identified incidents do not happen again.

Snowy 2.0, a pumped-hydro expansion of the Snowy Scheme, will provide 2,200 megawatts of on-demand, dispatchable energy and almost a week of renewable energy storage to help maintain grid security and reliability while enabling Australia’s decarbonisation.

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SNOWY HYDRO RELEASES 2023 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT, EXPANDS WIND FARM DEAL

11/01/2024

Snowy Hydro has released its 2023 Sustainability Report, underscoring the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility, community support, and the ongoing pursuit of clean, sustainable energy solutions.

The report outlines Snowy Hydro’s Sustainability Program, which aligns with the company’s integral role in Australia’s renewable energy future. It highlights three prioritised sustainability opportunities for 2023-24:

Understanding and mitigating risks associated with climate change
Emissions reduction and facilitating the decarbonisation of the National Electricity Market (NEM)
Strengthening relationships with Traditional Owners and communities where we operate

Snowy Hydro is a major contributor to the reshaping of the NEM to support the transition to a cleaner, low-carbon economy. The company aims to be a driver and enabler of least-cost NEM decarbonisation.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said reliability, security of supply, and supporting a sustainable transition would remain the central considerations behind how the company operates, develops and maintains its nationally critical infrastructure.

“As Australia undergoes significant changes in its energy markets, Snowy Hydro remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering clean, sustainable, and affordable energy, contributing to a brighter and more sustainable future for all,” Mr Barnes said.

“We are already reducing our low emissions intensity profile by investing in new generation technology and materially increased renewable capacity.

“Investments in the Snowy 2.0 and Hunter Power Projects, the Renewable Energy Procurement Program, and the development of green hydrogen capability directly support that purpose.”

Mr Barnes said energy purchased through Snowy’s wind and solar offtakes continued to grow. The offtakes will deliver approximately 5,200 GWh annually and exceed Snowy Hydro’s expected long-term hydroelectric generation.

The new wind and solar generation Snowy Hydro is enabling will displace more than 33 million tonnes of CO2 per annum. This equates to a 28% reduction in NEM emissions from 2022 levels and approximately 13% of Australia’s total emissions reduction target for 2030.

Mr Barnes today also announced the signing of a further 100 megawatts of renewable capacity from Squadron Energy’s Uungula Wind Farm over 10 years.

“This adds to the 200 megawatts over 15 years that Snowy signed with the project in 2022.

“We are proud to continue supporting important projects like Uungula Wind Farm which will produce enough renewable electricity to power more than 220,000 homes, and will prevent more than 560,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.”

Snowy Hydro has developed and sold products within a new environmentally-focused product class for its commercial and industrial customers, which includes some of Australia’s largest shopping centres, universities, banks and property managers.

The 2023 Sustainability Report outlines our commitment to supporting local communities through employment, education and environmental responsibility.

Snowy Hydro actively fosters diversity and inclusion, aiming to increase female representation in the workforce (currently at 42.5%), particularly at senior levels.

Snowy Hydro has a long history supporting the local communities in which it operates. This includes partnerships and sponsorships with not-for-profit organisations, community grants programs, contributing to local infrastructure, and economic investment in communities. The Snowy Hydro 2023 Sustainability Report is available to download on the Snowy Hydro website.

FAST FACTS

Snowy Hydro releases 2,300 gigalitres of water each year, which generates an average of approximately 4,250 gigawatt hours (or 4.25 terawatt hours) of renewable energy.

Approximately 94% of Snowy Hydro generation comes from renewable sources.

With a generation capacity of 5,500 MW, Snowy Hydro is the third-largest generator by capacity and one of the largest renewable generators in the National Electricity Market.

Snowy Hydro’s hydro operations have the lowest carbon intensity of Australia’s largest generators.

Snowy Hydro is investing in clean, on-demand electricity generation and storage through the expansion of the Snowy Scheme. Snowy 2.0 will add 2,200 MW of generation capacity and 350,000 MWh of storage capacity.

The Hunter Power project will provide 660 MW of dispatchable, on-demand electricity, enabling variable renewable energy sources (wind/solar) to operate in the NEM.

In FY2024, Snowy Hydro anticipates approximately 2.5 terawatt hours of wind and solar energy will be provided through power purchase agreements.

Snowy Hydro employs 1,956 people in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, with a further 2,700+ for Snowy 2.0, and 460 on the Hunter Power project.
42.5% of Snowy Hydro employees are female, 57.4% are male and 0.1% are nonbinary or unspecified.

News

SNOWY HYDRO SIGNS NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY DEAL

20/06/2022

Snowy Hydro is again expanding its renewable energy portfolio, signing a contract to purchase power and renewables certificates from a new CWP Renewables wind farm development in New South Wales.

The deal with the Uungula wind farm near Wellington is the 12th for Snowy Hydro, a leader in clean energy and Australia’s renewable energy transition.

Managing Director and CEO Paul Broad said the agreement to purchase 200 megawatts of Uungula’s output for a 15-year term supported Snowy Hydro’s commitment to providing affordable, reliable and clean energy to its commercial and industrial customers.

“Renewables are the future and by combining our contracted wind and solar projects with our on-demand hydro assets we can provide ‘firm’, secure, low-emissions energy to the market, while keeping the lights on,” Mr Broad said.

“This new deal with CWP Renewables is targeted to start in 2026 after construction of Uungula is completed and will increase the total energy that Snowy purchases from renewables projects to 4.1 terawatt hours each year.”
CWP Renewables CEO Jason Willoughby welcomed the second partnership with Snowy Hydro and said the agreement confirmed the ongoing demand for renewables.

“At 414 megawatts, Uungula will be our largest wind farm to date and provide enough clean electricity to power more than 200,000 homes,” Mr Willoughby said. “It’s great to have Snowy Hydro on-board as a foundation offtaker for the project, which in turn helps us continue to develop our pipeline of renewable projects.”

CWP Renewables currently operates and owns 650MW of renewable energy assets in the National Electricity Market and has another 5GW of wind, storage and firming projects in its near-medium term development portfolio. Snowy Hydro already partners with CWP Renewables through an offtake agreement for power from its Bango wind farm, north of Yass.

“We are pleased to be working again with CWP Renewables and growing our clean energy business,” Mr Broad said. “This partnership is another example of Snowy Hydro securing greater investment in renewables across Australia, which is a win-win for everyone.”

Uungula Wind Farm has received development approval and construction is planned to start this year, supporting more than 260 jobs.

News

University of Sydney to be powered by 100% renewable electricity new partnership with Snowy Hydro and Red Energy

06/04/2022

From 1 July 2022 the University of Sydney will be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity.

The University has signed a five-year contract with Red Energy, backed by the mighty Snowy Hydro, to source 100 percent of its electricity in NSW from renewable sources. Once the contract begins, the University’s activities will be powered by solar energy.

As well as operations across campuses and University-run student accommodation, the contract will cover energy supply for Moore College, Sancta Sophia College, St Andrew’s College, St Paul’s College, the Women’s College and Wesley College. The positive impact will be in excess of removing 31,200 cars from the road.

The move brings the University a step closer to its target of net zero emissions by 2030.

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott said the shift to renewable electricity reflected the University’s deep commitment to a more sustainable future.

“We are making the move to 100 percent renewable electricity three years before our target of 2025,” he said.

“This agreement will power our research and teaching while reducing emissions. We are delighted to be working together with Snowy Hydro and Red Energy to achieve the ambitious energy targets set out in our sustainability strategy.

“We know reducing emissions to combat climate change is a priority for our staff and students and we are committed to embedding sustainability in every aspect of University life.”

Paul Broad, Managing Director and CEO of Snowy Hydro, which owns Red Energy, welcomed the partnership and the role it will play as Australia’s economy decarbonises and transitions to renewables.

“At Snowy Hydro, we have lived, breathed and delivered renewable energy to Australians through the mighty Snowy Scheme for generations. We are committed to continuing this legacy and leading the charge to a renewable energy future by working with large institutions like the University of Sydney.

“Combining our contracted wind and solar energy with our on-demand hydro assets allows us to provide reliable and 100 percent renewable electricity to the University.”

The switch to renewable electricity is one of a range of initiatives under the University’s sustainability strategy. The institution has committed to sending zero waste to landfill by 2030 and to the eradication of single-use plastic on campus by 2025.

The University is working to integrate sustainable practices across operations, teaching and research, with steps including the Gelion solar smart bench roll-out last year and the recent installation of a biodigester to process organic waste into compost.

How University’s renewable energy supply will work

Power consumed by the University of Sydney will be matched by generation from a NSW solar farm or, in certain instances, other renewable facilities in the state. The associated Large Scale Generation Certificates will be surrendered by Red Energy to evidence that renewable generation has been exported into the National Electricity Market at quantities equivalent to the University’s load.

News

SNOWY HYDRO’s SUBMISSION ON THE DRAFT ISP

13/02/2022

Click here to view the full submission.

News

Local and global experts to build Snowy 2.0

05/04/2019

Today Snowy Hydro Limited has achieved another significant milestone for Snowy 2.0 by appointing Future Generation Joint Venture as its main contractor. Snowy 2.0, a world-leading pumped-hydro expansion project, together with the mighty Snowy Scheme, will underpin Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future.

Future Generation is a joint venture between Clough, an Australian construction and engineering company, Salini Impregilo, a global hydropower and tunnelling specialist, and Lane.

The Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) contract signed today with Future Generation is consistent with the terms set out in the extensive, publicly-released Final Investment Decision information pack.

Under the single wrapped EPC contract, Future Generation will lead the civil works and Voith Hydro will deliver the latest hydro-generation technology in the new underground power station.

News

Snowy Hydro welcomes planning approval for Snowy 2.0 Exploratory Works

11/02/2019

Snowy Hydro welcomes the New South Wales Government’s planning approval for Snowy 2.0 Exploratory Works today. The decision, which follows a rigorous environmental and planning assessment process, is another significant milestone in progressing the project.

Snowy Hydro hopes to commence work for Snowy 2.0 soon, subject to Shareholder approval from the Federal Government.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad said NSW Government’s support for Snowy 2.0 is critical for the security, affordability and reliability of the National Electricity Market (NEM) in the future.

“The mighty Snowy Scheme keeps the lights on across the National Electricity Market at times of peak demand today, and Snowy 2.0 will build on our existing capabilities.

“With more intermittent renewables coming online Snowy 2.0 will create an additional 2000 megawatts of on-demand energy generation and 175 hours of large-scale storage so households and businesses have energy when they need it most.

“Snowy 2.0 will deliver reliable energy at times of peak demand and can ‘fill the gaps’ by generating when wind and solar energy output is low.

“Snowy Hydro takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. We have a long and proven record of responsibly operating the Snowy Scheme within the national park and we will do everything possible to avoid or minimise impacts from construction of Snowy 2.0.

“Snowy Hydro will provide $10.5 million to offset any impacts from the Exploratory Works,” he said.

The NSW Government, which is responsible for allocating the offsets, has made the commitment that Snowy 2.0 offsets will be used by National Parks and Wildlife Service to support local environmental and recreational initiatives in Kosciuszko National Park.

Exploratory Works involve excavating an exploratory tunnel to gain a greater understanding of the underground geological conditions at the proposed location of the new Snowy 2.0 power station. The works also include upgrades and establishment of access roads, establishment of a construction compound and supporting infrastructure, and other activities.

Almost 50 years ago, exploratory tunnels were constructed for both Tumut 1 and Tumut 2 power stations, the two underground stations in the Snowy Scheme.

Snowy 2.0 will create jobs and economic opportunities across the Snowy Mountains – already more than 50 local businesses have been involved in the project.

In March 2018, Snowy 2.0 was declared NSW Critical State Significant Infrastructure, which provided a clear and well established framework for the project’s planning and environmental approval requirements.

An Environmental Impact Statement for Snowy 2.0 Main Works will be submitted to the NSW Government later this year.

For more information about Snowy 2.0, please visit snowyhydro.com.au.

News

Snowy Hydro is summer ready

30/11/2018

Snowy Hydro is in a good position to meet the energy needs of our customers this summer. The Snowy Scheme has experienced some good water inflows over recent months, with decent rain topping up our water storages.

Snowy Hydro’s CEO, Paul Broad said that for more than 65 years the company had successfully managed the Scheme through periods of high inflows and very severe droughts.

“Over winter and spring, about 1,200 gigalitres of water has reached the Scheme, which is enough to fill Sydney Harbour more than twice.

“We know how to best manage and use our water and we have been conserving water over the last six months to ensure we’re ready to go this summer.

“Snowy Hydro constantly monitors inflows and weather forecasts to plan for current and future operations to balance short and long-term energy and water needs.”

Lake Eucumbene is the Scheme’s largest storage and plays an important role in regulating highly variable inflows over years and decades. It rises and falls over much longer periods than many of our other reservoirs. Lake Eucumbene is situated in the middle of the Scheme, giving us plenty of flexibility to store and move water around.

Snowy Hydro will also continue to make downstream water releases in compliance with our water licence for farmers and environmental flows.

This summer, like decades of summers before, we’re ready to keep the lights on. We’re able to respond to the market’s needs to help provide stable, reliable and affordable energy over the coming months.

News

Snowy 2.0 Exploratory Works EIS released

25/07/2018

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Snowy Hydro’s proposed Snowy 2.0 Exploratory Works has been released for a 28-day public exhibition period.

Snowy Hydro is seeking approval to proceed with a program of Exploratory Works to gain a greater understanding of the underground geological conditions at the likely location of the proposed Snowy 2.0 underground power station.

An EIS addressing the Exploratory Works’ environmental, social and economic impacts has been submitted to the NSW Government and will undergo comprehensive assessment as part of the planning and approvals process.

In preparing the EIS, Snowy Hydro engaged world-leading technical and scientific experts across a range of disciplines, including terrestrial and aquatic ecology and cultural heritage. The Exploratory Works have been designed in a careful and specific way to avoid and minimise environmental impacts.

The location of the works at the Lobs Hole Ravine region and the site access roads were redesigned and relocated to help avoid sensitive areas and species as they were identified during the EIS process.

The Exploratory Works, if approved, would provide further important information as part of the Snowy 2.0 project design process. While geological investigations have already been carried out from the surface, the rock has not been explored in-situ, at depth.

The proposed Exploratory Works will include horizontal core samples taken at depth almost one kilometre below the ground. The new geological data will ensure the precise location and design of the underground cavern can be confirmed.

This aspect of the project is one of the biggest challenges for Snowy 2.0 and gathering additional geological information as soon as possible is critical. Similar exploratory works were undertaken in the 1950s before the construction of the Snowy Scheme’s existing underground power stations of Tumut 1 and Tumut 2.

Snowy Hydro has a proud track record over many decades of responsible environmental management in Kosciuszko National Park. Any impacts from Snowy 2.0 will be carefully considered, and where impacts cannot be avoided, they will be offset.

Snowy Hydro is very supportive of stakeholder views that any offsets from Snowy 2.0 should be used for projects in the Snowy Mountains region.

To assist the community to access the EIS, Snowy Hydro has launched an interactive online EIS portal with information and videos about the project. It can be accessed here at https://v2.communityanalytics.com.au/snowy/eis

The Exploratory Works EIS is also available to download from the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE)

News

Visitors in Cooma ahead of drilling for Snowy 2.0 commencing

28/06/2017

The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Parliamentary Secretary Bronnie Taylor visited Cooma today ahead of investigative drilling commencing for Snowy 2.0.

Snowy Hydro Limited CEO Paul Broad and Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) CEO Andy Goodwin provided a Snowy 2.0 update and showcased one of the drill rigs.

Mr Broad said the investigative drilling, which is expected to commence next month after all approvals, is a critical milestone for the Snowy 2.0 feasibility study.

“The drilling will provide us with detailed geotechnical information about the rock formations, strength and structure of the area where the tunnels between the Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs and underground power station will be located.”

“The core holes will be drilled in key locations so that we have a very clear picture of the geology and can better plan and cost the project.” Mr Broad said.

The geotechnical information collected through this process will be shared with research and education institutions for science and research purposes.

The Prime Minister, Deputy Premier and Parliamentary Secretary’s visit was also an opportunity for Snowy Hydro and SMEC to bring together their local project teams to celebrate the reopening of the SMEC office in Cooma.

SMEC’s CEO Andy Goodwin said the reopening of their Cooma office and work on the Snowy 2.0 feasibility study will continue to generate economic activity in the region.

“It’s great to be working on such a iconic hydropower project with Snowy Hydro that reflects on our namesake and history. For SMEC this is an opportunity to bring back our local people with global experience to contribute to the legacy for the next generation.

“The Feasibility Study will generate more than 250 jobs across professional services, construction and administrative support and if Snowy 2.0 goes ahead we expect to create about 5000 jobs over the life of the build,” Mr Goodwin said.

The Snowy 2.0 Feasibility Study will be completed by the end of this year.

Snowy Hydro is proud to provide secure, stable and reliable renewable energy to households and businesses. If built, Snowy 2.0 would increase the generation capacity by up to 50 per cent, making up to 2000 megawatts available to the National Electricity Market.