250MW Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project (K2H)
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Quick Facts:
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Project Summary:
- K2H is the flagship project of the Kidston Renewable Energy Hub, located in Kidston, Far-North Queensland (270km NW of Townsville).
- The Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project will utilise the two existing mining pits (Wises and Eldridge) as the upper and lower reservoirs for the project to minimise construction time and cost.
- Given the significant potential water head differential that the pits offer, and the vast quantity of water the pits can hold, the project can support 2,000MWh of continuous power generation in a single generation cycle (250MW of peaking power generation over a 8 hour period). Power generated will be sold directly into the NEM.
- A concrete lined pressure tunnel will connect the upper reservoir to the underground generation powerhouse. A concrete lined tailrace tunnel will, in turn, connect the powerhouse to the lower reservoir. A shaft from the surface will connect the underground infrastructure to a surface power control room, which will be connected to a transformer station located on an existing pit bench.
- During peak power demand periods water will be released from the upper to the lower reservoir, passing through reversible pump/generators acting in generation mode. During off peak periods, water will be pumped back from the lower to the upper reservoir with the pump/generators acting in pumping mode.
- The Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project (250MW) is a closed loop system, which will involve the transfer of water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir. This will ensure minimal environmental impact during operation, on what is already a disturbed historical mining site.
The Copperfield Dam
- The Copperfield Dam (also known as the Kidston Dam) was constructed to service the Kidston mine site in the 1980s. The Dam has a capacity of 20,400ML and is built on the Copperfield River which, in turn, connects to the Einasleigh River. The Dam overflows seasonally and discharges approximately 60,000ML of water per year down the Copperfield River.
- Ownership of the Dam transferred to the State upon the closure of the mine. The Dam itself is located approximately 18km south of the Kidston site and is connected to the mine via a gravity fed pipeline. Genex Power owns the pipeline and has the right to draw up to 4,650ML of water from the Dam per annum.
- The Copperfield Dam and the existing water rights held by Genex Power will ensure water adequacy for supplementing the Kidston scheme in the event of a prolonged drought event.
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