Andritz has received an order from EPC contractors McConnell Dowell and John Holland to supply the electro-mechanical equipment for Genex Power’s 250MW Kidston pumped storage plant in North Queensland, Australia.
Andritz’s scope of supply comprises design, manufacturing, supply, transportation, erection, and commissioning of two 125MW reversible pump turbine units as well as full operation and maintenance services for more than 10 years.
The pumped storage plant was developed in a unique location by utilizing two open pits from an abandoned gold mine. Once filled up with water, it will operate as a closed-loop system and generate, store and dispatch renewable energy on demand during peak periods, capable of supplying enough sustainable and clean electrical energy for more than 280,000 Australian households. Additionally, the plant can be operated in a synchronous condenser mode to provide grid services such as reactive power management and synchronous inertia.
It was announced yesterday that the greenlight has been given for construction to proceed on the project – the first pumped storage scheme in Australia for more than 40 years.