Back

Muswellbrook Pumped Hydro Project

A project scoping report was submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure in December 2023. The scoping report provided an overview of the project and proposed environmental, social and cultural assessments to inform an environmental impact statement (EIS).

In response to the scoping report the Department issued Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) in February 2024. The NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces declared the Project to be Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) on 19 June 2024. Revised SEARS were issued on 1 November 2024. The Muswellbrook Pumped Hydro team is currently undertaking assessments to address SEARs and prepare an EIS.

The project scoping report and associated SEARS is available on the NSW Planning Portal.

An overview of the approvals process is provided in the adjacent graphic, which shows that the project is currently at the environmental impact assessment phase.

Throughout the EIS development a number of opportunities will be afforded to the local and regional community to participate and inform assessments. Please contact the project team for more information should you wish to be involved in the project.

A lower reservoir (i.e. water storage dam) within a rehabilitated mine void, will be filled with water piped from the Hunter River and topped up as required.

This water will be pumped from the lower reservoir, approximately 2km uphill into an upper reservoir on the top of Bells Mountain.

Electricity will be generated by hydro-electric turbines at the base of the mountain. The turbines will be driven by water released from the upper reservoir through a gravity fed pipeline into the lower reservoir.

When electricity demand is low, the water will be pumped back to the upper reservoir, ready for release when demand is high.

The project will connect into existing nearby high-voltage power lines.

For more information about how pumped hydro works, watch the What is Pumped Hydro Video.

The Project will be located on the former Muswellbrook Coal Mine site and the top of Bells Mountain, in the NSW Hunter Valley on lands of the Wonnarua/ Wanaruah People.

The indicative overview below shows the key Project component locations, including the upper and lower reservoirs and, construction and permanent infrastructure. 

Artist Impression

Project Overview

online community engagement

Delivering reliable, on-demand electricity - strengthening Australia's clean energy future whilst providing a beneficial new use for one of Muswellbrook's oldest coal mining operations. Delivering reliable, on-demand electricity - strengthening Australia's clean energy future whilst providing a beneficial new use for one of Muswellbrook's oldest coal mining operations.

Project Location

Located within the proposed Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, the Project will be on the former Muswellbrook Coal Mine site and the top of Bells Mountain.

Project Flyover

  • Muswellbrook Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project
    View

Government support

In 2022, Muswellbrook Pumped Hydro Pty Ltd, was awarded $9.45 million funding under the NSW Government’s Pumped Hydro Recoverable Grants Program to advance development studies to a stage where the project is ready for investment.

The Grant funding is being used to complete a targeted geotechnical due diligence program, detailed design of the project, connection studies and will also be used for contractor engagement which is expected to commence in Q4 2024.

The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the NSW Government. The NSW Government does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.

     

The Project is located in the upper Hunter Region of New South Wales on the traditional lands of the Wanaruah/Wonnarua people. We recognise the Wanaruah/Wonnarua people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and acknowledge those communities’ continuing connections to their lands, waters and cultures. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

Who's Listening

Key Benefits

The project will:

Create up to 650 new local jobs and provide contractor and supplier opportunities during construction

Create up to 20 full time jobs during operation.

Provide local and regional economic opportunities and community benefits.

Improve energy security – it will be able to quickly increase energy supply to the grid when demand is high and switch off when demand is low.

Improve the reliability of energy supply – the project will be able to generate energy when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.