Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station

Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station or Snowy Hydro 2.0 is a pumped-hydro battery megaproject in New South Wales, Australia. The dispatchable generation project connects two existing dams through a 27 kilometre underground tunnel and a new, underground pumped-hydro power station. Construction began in 2019. It is expected to supply two gigawatts of capacity and about 350,000 megawatt hours of large-scale storage to the national electricity market. It is designed for grid stabilization; to be a backup at times of peak demand and for when solar and wind energy are not providing power. Snowy Hydro acts like a giant battery by absorbing, storing, and dispatching energy. The battery is designed to operate for up to 175 hours of temporary supply. It is Australia's largest renewable energy project. The project is led by public company Snowy Hydro Limited. When complete it is expected to have a severe impact on the price and reliability of electric power. Initial plans for a power station at the location were discussed in 1966. Further studies were undertaken in 1980 and 1990. The current project originated as the centrepiece of Malcolm Turnbull's climate change policy in 2017. A feasibility study carried out in 2017 finding the project was both technically and financially feasible. The study was released on 21 December 2017 and found the project cost would be between $3.8 and 4.5 billion. The first tunnel that was completed by October 2022, was a 2.85 kilometre section that provided main access at Lobs Hole. It was 10 metres in diameter and provides pedestrian and vehicle access into the power station. By May 2023 the emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel was excavated. It is 2.93 kilometre long, 10 metres in diameter and will be used for power station ventilation and high-voltage cables. It was originally expected to be completed by 2024. Snowy Hydro 2.0 has been beset by delays and cost blowouts. Delays have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, complex design elements and variable site and geological conditions.