A pumped hydro project with the potential to power up to 120,000 homes has been given the green light to transform a former mining site into a renewable energy generator in the Mid Coast Council local government area.
The NSW Government says the $1.8 billion Stratford Pumped Hydro and Solar project in the Gloucester Valley will boost energy security and bring investment and jobs to the Hunter, with up to 350 construction jobs and 10 ongoing jobs.
The project is also set to inject $18.2 million over the life of the project for community and infrastructure projects through a Voluntary Planning Agreement with Mid Coast Council.
Located, about 100 kilometres north of Newcastle, it will sit on the Stratford Mining Complex site where coal mining operations ended in 2024, providing a productive and innovative future for the post-mining land.
“This is exactly what planning for the future looks like,” said Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley.
“We are taking a former mine site and giving it a new purpose powering up to 120,000 homes across New South Wales.
“This is a major vote of confidence in our region. We have the land, infrastructure, and skilled workforce needed to deliver the next generation of major energy projects.”
The project by Gloucester Coal Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Yancoal Australia Limited, includes a 300 megawatt (MW) pumped hydro power station with 12 hours of energy storage and a 320 MW solar farm.
To generate electricity, water will be transferred between a new upper reservoir and an existing dam via a tunnel, with water for the initial reservoir to be sourced from the existing mine site.
It will provide ‘firming’ energy by storing surplus electricity generated during the day during and releasing it to generate electricity at peak times in the evening. It is forecast to deliver around 13% of the State’s 2034 long duration storage target.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the Government’s approval of the pumped hydro project – the first in six year – is a positive sign of the state’s clean energy future.
“Projects like Stratford Pumped Hydro also show how we can make the most of former mining sites and create new jobs and industry which will help to drive the region’s economic growth for decades to come,” said Mr Scully.
Declared Critical State Significant nfrastructure (CSSI) in June 2024, the project is a crucial component of the NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, a 20-year plan to diversify the energy generation mix, and provide energy security as NSW moves away from coal-fired power.
