Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Tender Design

As our communities grow, so does our energy demand. Snowy 2.0 is the pumped hydro expansion of the Snowy Mountain Scheme, providing clean, efficient, and reliable energy for generations to come.

By linking two reservoirs, the Snowy 2.0 pumped storage project will add 2,000 megawatts (MW) to the existing 4,100MW hydroelectric power capacity of the original Snowy Mountain Scheme. Uniquely, Snowy 2.0’s turbines are reversible with the ability to pump water back up to the top dam, where it will be stored and used to generate energy on demand. The movement of water between storage units provides much-needed flexibility. A major engineering challenge was designing a solution that taps into existing reservoir storage, meaning the scheme can be developed without constructing any new dams. This, coupled with the majority of the structures currently situated underground, minimises the environmental impacts within the national park—a UNESCO declared Biosphere Reserve.

Collaborating with the owner’s OEM equipment supplier, our team developed an optimised power station arrangement, recommending different hydromechanical and electrical equipment. The result? By reducing the overall dimensions of the underground powerhouse, we were able to lower costs and improve the stability and performance of the facility.