Oven Mountain pumped hydro project deemed ‘critical’ by NSW Government

By Molly Lempriere
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Artist rendering of the hydropower project at Oven Mountain. Image: NSW Government.

Pumped hydro project, Oven Mountain, has been declared to be Critical State Significant Infrastructure by the New South Wales (NSW) Government.

The 600MW / 7200MWh, billion-dollar energy storage project in the east coast state of Australia will kick-start the country’s largest Renewable Energy Zone, and unlock 600 regional jobs according to the local government.

“The Australian Energy Market Operator says that NSW needs more than twice the energy storage of Snowy 2.0 again by the mid-2030s and projects like Oven Mountain can help us reach that goal,” explained Energy Minister Matt Kean.

“It can take about 8 years to deliver massive pumped hydro projects and we need to get going now to create jobs and improve the reliability of the energy grid.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Water will be pumped up Oven Mountain when energy is cheap, and then when there is little wind and solar generation, it will be released, turning turbines as it flows down the hill to generate up to 600MW of power.

The area has some of the best pumped hydro resources in the world according to Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, and particularly as the country tackles the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it should seize the opportunity to create jobs through the construction of the site.

“This project is the jewel in our region’s renewable energy crown and cements the New England as the renewable energy powerhouse of Australia,” said Marshall.

“We’re already home to the two largest windfarms in NSW and the largest solar farm in Australia is about to start construction, so this project is the cherry on top of us!”

Assessment requirements for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement will now need to be requested by the proponent. These can then go on exhibition for community feedback, and a detailed assessment by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment can be undertaken before a final decision about the Oven Mountain project is made.

Read Next

Premium
September 15, 2025
China again dominated global battery storage deployments in August, accounting for two-thirds of what came online, but Europe, North America and Oceania/Australia had good months too.
September 15, 2025
Hithium will supply battery storage and SMA the power conversion systems for a 500MWh grid-forming project in Australia for Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV).
September 9, 2025
“The industry has to continue to be aggressive,” says Luigi Resta, president of US renewable energy and energy storage developer rPlus Energies, on the US remaining a competitive market for energy storage.
September 9, 2025
“Social licensing is the next frontier for battery energy storage systems,” said Matt Baumgurtel, partner, new energy lead at Hamilton Locke.
Premium
September 9, 2025
Andrés Barberán, energy storage product manager at Fluence, emphasises that optimising battery energy storage system (BESS) performance means making decisions with the entire asset lifecycle in mind, not just immediate returns.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter