Renewable energy developer Genex Power announced that work on the engineering project that is transforming a retired gold mine site in north Queensland into a 250 MW / 2 GWh pumped hydro energy storage facility is powering ahead with a key piece of infrastructure now in place.
EPC contractor – John Holland and McConnell Dowell Joint Venture (MDJH JV) – said its team has successfully installed the first spiral case at the Kidston project site, about 270 kilometres northwest of Townsville in northern Queensland.
The piece of infrastructure is a critical part of the pumped hydro project’s underground powerhouse, directing high-pressure water into the turbine.
John Holland said its installation signals the project’s transition from civil construction to major mechanical works.
“Next up is the installation of the turbine itself, followed by commissioning and the final drive toward first power,” the company said.
Sydney-based developer Genex expects the project, the first new pumped hydro facility to be completed in Australia in 40 years, will be commissioning by the end of this year and fully operational in the first half of 2026.
The pumped hydro project is the centrepiece of the broader Kidston Clean Energy Hub, which includes the existing 50 MW Kidston Solar Farm, which Genex has been operating since 2017.
It is to also include a 120 MW wind farm to be developed alongside a 150 MW /600 MWh battery energy storage system.
Genex was planning to add a 258 MW wind farm to the Kidston hub, but the generation capacity has now been reduced and a new battery added to the plans.
In a statement, the company said the changes would “enhance performance, improve energy reliability, and minimise environmental impact.”
Genex Chief Executive Craig Francis said the wind and battery project would support the transition to net zero in Queensland by “delivering firm renewable generation, with the unique combination of wind energy and battery storage, to deliver power directly to Townsville and Cairns.”
Francis confirmed the company is working towards starting construction on the wind and battery project – dubbed the K3-Hybid project – in early 2026.
“The workstreams for resource monitoring, procurement (BESS, wind turbines, and balance of plant), grid, and both state and federal planning approvals are all well-progressed,” he said.
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