Mt Rawdon Pumped Hydro project

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	Pumped hydro electricity generation facility with an energy storage capacity of up to 20,000 megawatt hours by constructing an upper reservoir and repurposing the mine pit created by the existing Mount Rawdon Mine for the lower reservoir.
Proponent	Mt Rawdon Pumped Hydro Pty Ltd
Location/s	Approximately 75 km south-west of Bundaberg. Map
Local government/s	North Burnett Regional Council and Bundaberg Regional Council
Investment	$6.14 billion
Key features	a generation facility, comprising a lower storage (formed by the decommissioned mine pit), upper storage (formed by a purpose-built valley fill dam), waterway tunnels linking the two storages, underground power station, switchyard and associated access works an electricity transmission line and substation, connecting the generation facility to the existing Powerlink transmission network upgrades/duplication of the existing water pipeline (connecting the generation facility to Paradise Dam), comprising a pump, pipes and power supply to enable the first fill of the generation facility temporary facilities required during the construction phase, comprising a construction camp (including water and wastewater systems), concrete batching plant, quarry, laydown areas and material stockpiles.
Construction start date	2027
Jobs	780 (construction) 30 (operational)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Date	Activity
Currently	Draft EIS being prepared by proponent.
5 December 2024	Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 16 December 2026.
16 June 2023	Terms of reference for EIS ( 964 KB) released.
4 March 2023 to 11 April 2023	Draft terms of reference ( 985 KB) for EIS public consultation.
16 November 2022	Australian Minister for the Environment and Water decided the pumped hydropower energy storage component of the project is a ‘controlled action’ A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a ‘controlled action’ and requires approval under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).
11 October 2022	Gazettal ( 289 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
27 September 2022	Australian Minister for the Environment and Water decided the transmission line component of the project is a ‘controlled action’ A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a ‘controlled action’ and requires approval under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).
27 June 2022	Application, including Initial advice statement ( 8.2 MB), submitted.