More than 110 hydropower specialists from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Canada gathered in Canberra this month for the Hydro Power Engineering Exchange (HPEE), hosted by Snowy Hydro.
The biennial event, held from October 19–23, included three days of technical presentations and discussions at QT Canberra, as well as a site visit to the Snowy 2.0 pumped storage hydro project – Australia’s largest renewable energy development.
Established in 1990 as a joint initiative between the Snowy Mountains Authority (now Snowy Hydro), the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand, the Hydro Electric Commission of Tasmania (now Hydro Tasmania), and other Australian hydropower authorities, the HPEE serves as a technical forum for asset-based engineering staff to exchange knowledge on operations, maintenance, and project delivery.
Snowy Hydro event convenor Jan de Groote described the exchange as “steeped in history and tradition” and said it remains unmatched internationally.
“The networking opportunity for hydropower engineers results in an extremely knowledgeable peer network and long-lasting engineering relationships between all participants,” de Groote said.
Snowy Hydro Engineering and Quality General Manager Damon Miller said participants were eager to see progress on Snowy 2.0 during the site visit.
“It’s always great to catch up with colleagues to collectively discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with designing and building a new pumped hydropower project,” Miller said.
