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Urannah Project

Project overview*

EIS statusWithdrawn
Description A dam on the Broken River, a water distribution network including connecting water pipelines and instream distribution and storage of water, an irrigation precinct and a pumped hydro-electric power scheme.
Proponent Bowen River Utilities Pty Ltd
Location/s The proposed dam and hydro-electric scheme are located in the Broken River Valley (within the Burdekin Basin) approximately 86 kilometres (km) south east of Collinsville and 80 km west of Mackay in Central Queensland. The water distribution network includes in-stream distribution in the Bowen and Broken Rivers to the Bowen River Weir, a new 66 km pipeline north to the Peter Faust Dam, a new 17 km pipeline south east to the Eungella Dam and a 150 km pipeline south to Moranbah. The irrigation precinct is located around 20-30 km south and southwest of Collinsville. Map
Local government/s
  • Mackay Regional Council
  • Whitsunday Regional Council
  • Isaac Regional Council
Investment $2.9 billion
Key features
  • dam – a gravity fed dam on the Broken River with water storage capacity of up to 970,000 megalitres
  • water distribution network from the proposed dam north to the Peter Faust Dam and on to Bowen and Abbot Point, south to Eungella Dam and Moranbah – including water pipelines and instream distribution and storage of water with associated ancillary works, such as pump stations and power supply infrastructure
  • irrigation precinct – an irrigated agricultural development area of up to 25,000 hectares (ha), which includes 9850 ha of suitable high value cropping farm development and 12,250 ha of improved grazing and associated in-stream and off-stream storages, trunk delivery works and on-farm infrastructure
  • pumped hydro-electric power storage and power generation infrastructure – power generation infrastructure producing 1.4 GW+ electricity supply and approximately 8 GWhr+ pumped storage capacity, incorporating power stations (surface and underground), dams and reservoirs, waterways and power transmission infrastructure
  • ancillary works and infrastructure – for example, quarries and borrows, road and access development and upgrades, site establishment areas, laydowns, site amenities and accommodation, services and utilities (including electricity, telecommunications).
Construction state date 2022
Jobs
  • Up to 1,200 full time equivalent (FTE) (construction)
  • 600 FTE (operational).

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

DateActivity
22 December 2022‘Coordinated project’ declaration cancelled by Coordinator-General
8 December 2022Request for cancellation of the declaration of the project was received
Currently Draft EIS being prepared by proponent.
24 August 2022 Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of 3 October 2023.
31 March 2021 Terms of reference for EIS (PDF icon 1.4 MB) released.
30 November 2020 to 29 January 2021 Draft terms of reference (PDF icon 982 KB) for EIS public consultation.
4 September 2020

Commonwealth Minister for the Environment decided the project is a ‘controlled action’.

The Urannah Project comprises of:

7 May 2020 Gazettal (PDF icon 249 KB) of ‘coordinated project’ declaration.
1 November 2019 Application, including initial advice statement (PDF icon 7.6 MB), submitted.

Further information

Read more about the EIS process.

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Last updated: 16 Mar 2023