A major development secured the nod from state regulators in Queensland’s Etheridge Shire.
The State Department of Environment and Science recently granted environment protection and biodiversity conservation approval for Genex Power’s Kidston Connection Project, 270km northwest of Townsville.
The decision means the proponent can connect a new 275 kilovolt electricity transmission line and switching station, called the Genex Kidston Connection Project, to the national electricity market. Construction is expected to begin before Christmas and end sometime in 2024.
The proponent procured Andritz Group’s electro-mechanical equipment for the pumped storage hydro elements. Other parts sourced from different suppliers include stay rings, spiral case sections, draft tube liner sections, draft tube cones and draft tube gate frames for embedding into concrete structures. A total of 35 trucks have been deployed to transport the items from the Port of Townsville to the work site.
“These parts will now be transported to site where they will be stored until the underground powerhouse excavation is complete and the equipment installation commences,” Genex CEO James Harding said in a public statement.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with Townsville and all of North Queensland to support job opportunities as the project progresses.”
The broader $777 million North Queensland Kidston Pumped Hydro Project is promised to create up to 900 jobs before completion in early 2025.
McConnell Dowell Constructors urgently advertised the following full-time, fly-in fly-out (FIFO) vacancies at the project:
- bogger operators (multiple positions)
- jumbo operators (multiple)
- shot creters (multiple)
- tunnellers (multiple).
Click here to apply. Successful applicants will be required to immediately start working a roster of two weeks on, one week off. “Attractive” remuneration and camp facilities with a pool, gym, basketball court and tennis court will be provided. Company paid FIFO flights will operate between Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns and Kidston.
The project previously experienced flooding due to an “unexpected geological feature”. Underground tunnelling activity was disrupted after a worker drilled into the main access tunnel face, causing a “substantial inflow of water” on 22 September 2022.
Drill holes were plugged while investigators determined the extent of the feature and planned for main access tunnel excavation to resume. No injuries were reported and the MAT was “fully dewatered”.
“While an unexpected geological feature was encountered in the underground works toward period end, resulting in a substantial ingress of water, the team has successfully plugged the ingress and is working to restart tunnelling activities as soon as possible. The project remains within budget and on-schedule for planned energisation in the second half of calendar 2024,” Harding said in the company’s latest quarterly activities report.
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