Pump it up: Hydro plan for Stratford mine could power 120,000 MNC homes

A former Mid North Coast coal mining town is set to become home to the first approved pumped hydro project in NSW in six years.

Yancoal’s Stratford coal mine, near Gloucester, stopped extracting coal in 2024 after more than 30 years in operation. The state has approved repurposing the site into a renewable energy hub.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the project illustrates “how we can make the most of former mining sites and create new jobs and industry”.

Project outline: The $1.8 billion hub will include a 300 megawatt (MW) pumped hydro power station with 12 hours of energy storage and a 320 MW solar farm.

It will create “firming” energy by storing surplus electricity generated during the day and releasing it at peak times.

The state expects it will power up to 120,000 homes. 

What is pumped hydro?: In order to generate electricity, renewable energy such as wind or solar is used to pump water up a hill during periods of low demand, where it is stored in a reservoir.

Then, when demand increases, water travels downhill via a tunnel and through a turbine or pump, generating electricity.

Community benefits: The project is expected to provide 350 construction jobs and 10 ongoing jobs.

Mixed feelings: Project documents show at least 145ha of native vegetation would need to be cleared to build the upper reservoir.

Former Gloucester mayor Julie Lyford told the Mid North Coaster that despite the loss of “pretty important habitat”, the transition to renewable energy had to take precedence “due to our climate emergency”.

No project guarantee: Yancoal is yet to commit to the project. A spokesperson said the company is “assessing the commercial viability” as well as preferred ownership, funding and operating models.