Queensland Hydro is urging local businesses interested in supplying to its Borumba Pumped Hydro Project, to register their interest via Gateway by ICN.
The proposed Project is a 2,000 MW pumped hydro energy storage scheme located west of the Sunshine Coast. In June 2023, the Queensland Government committed $6 billion to progress the Project, which has an estimated total cost of $14.2 billion.
The Project involves:
- expanding the existing lower reservoir (Lake Borumba) with a new dam wall downstream from the current Borumba Dam
- building a second higher reservoir at a higher altitude
- linking the two reservoirs through an underground powerhouse, and
- a range of supporting works including workers’ camps, bridges, access roads, site offices, stockpile areas and grid connection
The world-class Project is critical in transforming Queensland’s energy system by providing renewable energy on demand. When supply from solar and wind is low, water will be released from the upper reservoir through underground turbines (via tunnels) to the lower reservoir to generate electricity.
Jason Manttan, Queensland Hydro’s Senior Manager Local Industry Engagement said that the organisation was working with ICN to implement the Project’s Australian Industry Participation Plan, including the identification of local, Queensland and Australian businesses with capability to support the Project.
“The Borumba Project will require thousands of works and inject millions of dollars into the local economy, which means our supply chain is critical. We’ve got public facing Gateway by ICN supplier portals for the Project, but more important is the supply market research that the ICN consultants are undertaking to map local and First Nations business capability against Project needs.
“As project owners, Queensland Hydro will be engaging a range of delivery partners – one each for the lower dam, upper dams, underground cavern and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
Jason added that each of these organisations will engage their own supply chains to deliver their scopes of work, with work packages required to be listed on Gateway by ICN.
“The largest amount of work is in civil construction – both above and below ground. In the context of the Project, it includes constructing a new dam wall for the Lower reservoir, multiple dam walls for the upper reservoir, and excavating underground tunnels and caverns that will house the turbines and other equipment.”
Queensland Hydro is committed to local engagement and maximising local and First Nations participation on the Project. Jason points out that the first step for business keen to be involved is to make sure they are visible, compliant, and are getting prepared to put their best foot forward.
“This means ensuring that businesses have registered interest in the right places, prepared a capability statement, and have a website and social media presence,” Jason said.
“Businesses also need to demonstrate compliance. They need to understand what it takes to supply to a major project in terms of, say, health and safety, quality, environmental and sustainability requirements.
“And then they also need to be prepared for the opportunity, understand where they fit within the supply chain and target their business development activities to the right clients or potential clients above them, noting that some businesses won’t be supplying directly to the principal contractor. They must have the ability to manage a contract, should they be successful in winning the work.
“That’s what I mean by being prepared.”
According to the Queensland Hydro website, pumped hydro energy storage is a proven and reliable way to store large amounts of energy that “will be the key to quickly and efficiently transitioning Queensland to a renewable energy system”.
Borumba, as well as the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project, have the potential to be transformative for the region. They offer numerous benefits:
- Energy storage: Pumped hydro facilities act as large-scale batteries, storing excess energy during periods of low demand and releasing it when demand is high.
- Renewable integration: Queensland’s solar and wind resources can be harnessed more effectively with pumped hydro. During sunny or windy days, excess energy can be used to pump water uphill, and then released to generate electricity during peak demand or when renewables are unavailable.
- Job creation: The construction and operation will create jobs in the regional supply chain.
- Infrastructure investment: Pumped hydro projects require significant infrastructure development, including reservoirs, tunnels, and power stations.
- Environmental benefits: While there is an initial environmental impact during construction, pumped hydro is a clean energy solution. It produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation and helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
For more information, register for updates or lodge an expression of interest go to the Borumba Pumped Hydro Gateway by ICN project page.
