Snowy Hydro has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, detailing progress in environmental management, social impact, and carbon emissions accountability. The report outlines the company’s role in Australia’s transition to renewable energy and its ongoing sustainability commitments.
CEO Dennis Barnes said the report highlights Snowy Hydro’s progress and ambitions. “At Snowy Hydro, we understand that sustainability goes beyond fulfilling our environmental commitments,” Barnes said. “It’s about supporting our people, driving better diversity outcomes and making a positive difference to the communities we serve.”
He added that while there is still more to achieve, the report serves as a roadmap to keep the company accountable and focused on delivering better outcomes.
Barnes also acknowledged Snowy Hydro’s responsibility in managing water flows through the Snowy Scheme, balancing electricity network reliability with the irrigation needs of farmers and other water users.
Among the sustainability achievements in the 2023/2024 financial year, Snowy Hydro generated 3,937 GWh of renewable electricity, enough to power around 600,000 homes. The company’s retail brands expanded to 1.4 million customers, with a continued focus on customer service. Its retail brand, Red Energy, received the Customer Satisfaction Award for the 14th consecutive year.
The Snowy STEM Academy reached 7,958 students, and workplace safety was reflected in a low Total Recordable Incident Frequency Rate. The company also delivered five events of peak water flows from the Jindabyne reservoir to improve the Snowy River ecosystem.
Reliability remained strong, with hydro generators achieving a 99.7 per cent successful start rate and gas generators reaching 98.5 per cent. Community initiatives included $557,000 spent on giving programs and $320,000 allocated for Murray River rehabilitation to maintain water flow and prevent erosion. Snowy Hydro also increased the proportion of women in senior leadership roles.
As Australia’s third-largest electricity generator by capacity, Snowy Hydro operates eight hydroelectric, three natural gas, and four diesel power stations, with a combined capacity of 5,500 MW. The Snowy 2.0 and Hunter Power Project will add 2,860 MW to the network, supporting energy supply reliability, particularly in peak summer conditions.
These new fast-start assets are expected to enable greater wind and solar generation, displacing over 33 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. This reduction would account for a 28 per cent decrease in National Electricity Market emissions from 2022 levels and 13 per cent of Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.
The full report is available at Snowy Hydro’s website.
