Capricornia Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage and Transmission Project

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	Pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) and transmission project with a stored capacity of up to 750 megawatts for approximately 16 hours for a 24 hour period.
Proponent	Eungella PHES Pty Ltd (trading as Capricornia Energy Hub) as trustee for Eungella PHES Trust and also representing Eungella Infrastructure Pty Ltd (joint proponents)
Location/s	Approximately 80 km west of Mackay and 10 km northwest of Eungella. Map
Local government/s	Isaac Regional Council and Mackay Regional Council
Investment	$2.87 billion
Key features	an 18 gigalitre upper reservoir with valley infill wall and an instream lower reservoir within the Broken River 750 megawatt powerhouse generation facility and tunnels for water conveyance to connect the reservoirs and powerhouse approximately 17 kilometre long overhead transmission line and substation connecting the PHES to the existing Powerlink Strathmore to Nebo 275 kilovolt transmission line.
Construction start date	2025
Jobs	600 full time equivalent (construction) 65 full time equivalent (operation)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Date	Activity
Currently	Draft terms of reference for EIS being prepared.
18 April 2024	Gazettal ( 245.5 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
13 December 2023	Final initial advice statement ( 32.2 MB) submitted.
11 December 2023	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water decided the PHES component is a ‘controlled action’.
7 December 2023	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water decided the transmission component is a ‘controlled action’.