Australian mining company Evolution Mining is transforming its 20-year-old Mount Rawdon gold mine into a massive 2 GW/20 GWh pumped hydro energy storage facility. The $7 billion project, located in southeast Queensland, will repurpose the existing pit as the lower reservoir and construct a new upper reservoir.

This innovative project is expected to become Australia’s lowest-cost pumped hydro facility per megawatt of capacity. With the potential to power two million Queensland homes and save consumers $13 billion over 20 years, it represents a significant investment in the state’s renewable energy transition.

Evolution’s Executive Chair, Jake Klein, highlighted the project’s strategic importance as coal-fired generators are phased out. “Mt Rawdon is set to become a 20,000 MWh pumped hydro storage facility capable of powering up to two million Queensland homes every evening, providing essential firming capacity in Queensland’s transition to renewable energy,” he said.

The Mount Rawdon project joins a growing list of pumped hydro developments in Queensland, solidifying the state’s commitment to replacing coal-fired power with renewable energy sources.

Source: PV Magazine