News

HUNTER POWER PROJECT – PLANNING MODIFICATION AMENDMENT

03/10/2024

Hunter Power Project (HPP) is set to begin operations in December 2024 with one generator running on diesel during the testing and commissioning phase.

The second unit and gas introduction will follow shortly, with full operations expected within a few months.

While the project’s planning modification has proposed increasing diesel operating hours to 1,100 per unit for 2025, Snowy Hydro does not currently expect HPP to operate entirely on diesel in 2025. The purpose of the modification is to provide for the current anticipated completion of the gas pipeline to March 2025 plus appropriate program contingency to ensure the power station can still generate energy in the event of any further delays to the gas pipeline or to the project’s commissioning program.

HPP’s gas pipeline is being delivered by APA Group and is independent of Snowy Hydro’s delivery of the power station.

Snowy Hydro has updated some of the information submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. Previously some of the information was inaccurate and did not accurately reflect our intentions around contingency planning being one of the drivers of the modification.

Once fully operational, HPP will primarily run on gas, using diesel as backup. Gas remains crucial for meeting peak demand and supporting Australia’s renewable energy transition.

News

HUNTER POWER PROJECT DELIVERS LOCAL JOBS AND SKILLS

12/08/2024

Snowy Hydro’s Hunter Power Project (HPP) is leaving a lasting impact on the local workforce, delivering approximately 600 direct construction jobs and crucial skills development for a number of high-demand construction trades.

More than 60% of HPP workers live locally, which is part of Snowy Hydro’s commitment to supporting communities that the company is a part of.

The number of apprentices at HPP is on the increase, with Snowy Hydro working alongside principal contractor UGL to provide an additional 12 apprenticeship positions in June 2024, which includes three females and two First Nations apprentices. New apprentices on site include a boilermaker, nine electricians, and two mechanical fitters.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said HPP will be good for jobs long after construction is complete.

“We are proud of our contribution to the construction, engineering, and infrastructure sector here in the Hunter, especially given the current tradespeople shortages in Australia.

“This project will have a lasting impact on the size and proficiency of the local workforce”

Mr Barnes said.

”A job on HPP will help set our team up for a rewarding career and a bright future.”

Electrical apprentice Daniel Battle said he became interested in the electrical trade after working as a Trades Assistant on the project.

“This apprenticeship is giving me the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience while working to a high standard within the industry to become an electrician,” Mr Battle said.

Apprentice boilermaker Jackson Scott said he was passionate about fabrication and welding. “I was very lucky to be offered an apprenticeship shortly after starting at HPP.

“HPP is preparing me to have a successful career contributing to important infrastructure in our country, and I’m extremely grateful,” Mr Scott said.

Electrical apprentice Camilla Lindeberg said she worked as a cleaner for seven months before applying for an apprenticeship.

“I never thought of being an electrical apprentice until the opportunity presented itself, and I’m excited for what the future holds.

“The challenge of learning something new and directly contributing to building HPP gives me a great sense of achievement and sets me up for a whole new career with endless opportunities,” Ms Lindeberg said.

Snowy Hydro is also looking to the future workforce through its community support programme.

In 2024, Snowy Hydro extended its Local School STEM Fund to the Cessnock LGA where HPP is located. More than $26,000 was awarded to schools in the area to foster learning opportunities and career pathways for local young people with a focus on STEM.

From left to right: Daniel Battle, Camilla Lindeberg, and Jackson Scott.

News

Asset Inspection & Maintenance

20/07/2015

Snowy Hydro is again trialling the use of unmanned submersible vehicles to monitor the condition of hard to access Scheme assets.

While the Snowy Scheme is one of the civil engineering wonders of the modern world, many of its assets are difficult to reach due to the Snowy Mountains terrain and the challenges associated with the sheer volume of water flowing through the Scheme.

With the help of Perth-based company Synaya, the Civil Engineering and Dam Safety team are using a Mini Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to conduct inspections of some of our hard to access assets, such as the Guthega Surge Tank and Island Bend intake structure.

The ROV is a small, submersible vehicle operated from the surface of the water via a tether. Equipped with miniature high-resolution cameras, lights and video recording equipment, they can be used to assess the condition of underwater civil assets. The information they collect determines future inspection frequencies, maintenance requirements and accurate scoping of projects.

The Mini-ROV, a Seabotix LVB150 weighing approximately 12 kilograms, was used as part of a successful trial where a variety of tests were performed to assess its manoeuvrability, visibility and access. Results showed that these observation vehicles reduce the safety risk to staff by eliminating the need for someone to physically enter tunnels for inspections, reduce the environmental impact associated with dewatering assets and they also reduce the need for extensive outage times.

It also provides access to extensive visual data, which can be referenced in the future to more accurately assess what stage of the asset’s lifecycle it’s in.

Using technology of this kind is not new for Snowy Hydro; in 2013, we used a larger unmanned underwater vehicle to inspect multiple tunnels within the Scheme for maintenance. We were awarded an Australian Business Award for Innovation and also broke a world record for the longest, unmanned underwater tunnel inspection. We have also trialled the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to inspect our assets from the air.

In future, this unmanned technology will continue to be used to inspect difficult to access assets of the Scheme ensuring the safety of our people and keeping our assets in peak condition.