As Australia’s largest renewable energy resource, hydropower is a driving force in the clean energy space. But what do you know about hydropower? It’s more than just running water and picturesque dams. We’ll uncover everything from how hydroelectric energy works to what the oldest hydropower station in Australia is (spoiler: it dates back further than you think).
On this page:
- How does hydropower work?
- Hydropower in Australia
- Hydropower plants in Australia
- Australia’s biggest hydroelectric power station
- How reliable is hydropower?
- Is hydropower the solution to Australia’s energy needs?
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How does hydropower work?
Hydropower works through pressure — namely using the force of water to spin a turbine that generates electricity. Water is released from a hydroelectric dam, which upon impact spins a turbine at the base of the infrastructure that is connected to a generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy that can be shifted into the grid system.
The amount of electricity produced by this process depends on factors such as the amount of flowing water released, and the height from which it falls. A benefit of most hydropower plants is that energy generation can be controlled using pumped storage — hydropower plants can be put to use during peak times to make up for any shortages in traditional coal-fired electricity generation.
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Hydropower in Australia
- 19.7% of renewable energy generation in Australia
- 7.1% of the total electricity generation in Australia.
According to research from the Clean Energy Council, Hydropower made up around a fifth of Australia’s clean electricity generation in 2022, with over 120 operating hydropower stations across the country. Despite hydropower being a major contributor to clean energy generation, its impact only accounted for 7.1% of the country’s total electricity generated in 2022.
Hydropower plants in Australia
While there are more than 120 power stations currently operating in Australia, most have a relatively modest output. We’ve listed all of the operational hydropower plants in the country with a capacity of over 50MW in alphabetical order:
- Barron Gorge
- Bastyan
- Bendeela
- Blowering
- Bogong
- Cethana
- Dartmouth
- Devil’s Gate
- Eildon
- Gordon
- Guthega
- Hume
- John Butters
- Kangaroo Valley
- Kareeya
- Lemonthyme
- Liapootah
- Mackintosh
- McKay Creek
- Murray 1
- Murray 2
- Poatina
- Reece
- Tarraleah
- Trevallyn
- Tribute
- Tumut 1
- Tumut 2
- Tumut 3
- Tungatinah
- Warragamba
- West Kiewa
- Wivenhoe.
Australian hydropower station location, capacity and ownership
The table below lists each hydropower plant in Australia by size, as well as location, energy generation capacity and who owns it. As you can see, there are only a handful of companies operating our nation’s hydropower plants.
| Location | Power Station | Capacity | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Warragamba | 50MW | Eraring Energy |
| TAS | Lemonthyme | 54MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| NSW | Hume | 58MW | Eraring Energy |
| NSW | Guthega | 60MW | Snowy Hydro |
| TAS | Devil’s Gate | 60MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| VIC | West Kiewa | 62MW | AGL Energy |
| QLD | Barron Gorge | 66MW | Stanwell Corporation |
| TAS | Bastyan | 79.9MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| NSW | Blowering | 80MW | Snowy Hydro |
| TAS | Mackintosh | 80MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| NSW | Bendeela | 80MW | Eraring Energy |
| TAS | Tribute | 84MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| TAS | Liapootah | 87.3MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| QLD | Kareeya | 88MW | Stanwell Corporation |
| TAS | Cethana | 90MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| TAS | Tarraleah | 90MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| TAS | Trevallyn | 93MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| VIC | Eildon | 120MW | Pacific Hydro |
| TAS | Tungatinah | 125MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| VIC | Bogong | 140MW | AGL Energy |
| TAS | John Butters | 144MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| VIC | Dartmouth | 150MW | Murray-Darling Basin Authority |
| VIC | McKay Creek | 150MW | AGL Energy |
| NSW | Kangaroo Valley | 160MW | Eraring Energy |
| TAS | Reece | 231.2MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| NSW | Shoalhaven | 240MW | Eraring Energy & Sydney Catchment Authority |
| NSW | Tumut 2 | 287MW | Snowy Hydro |
| TAS | Poatina | 300MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| NSW | Tumut 1 | 330MW | Snowy Hydro |
| TAS | Gordon | 432MW | Hydro Tasmania |
| QLD | Wivenhoe | 500MW | CS Energy |
| NSW | Murray 2 | 550MW | Snowy Hydro |
| NSW | Murray 1 | 950MW | Snowy Hydro |
| NSW | Tumut 3 | 1,500MW | Snowy Hydro |
Current as of July 2024.
What is the biggest hydropower plant in Australia?
The largest hydroelectric power station in Australia, as of July 2024, is run by Snowy Hydro.
With several power stations in its southern NSW network, the Snowy Hydro scheme currently holds a total capacity of around 5,500 megawatts, according to its website. Snowy 2.0 is a significant expansion designed to address the growing demand for clean and reliable energy. This project will add 2,000MW to Snowy Hydro’s generation. It boasts a large-scale energy storage capability of 350,000 megawatt hours, which translates to enough stored energy to power 500,000 homes simultaneously.
What was the first hydropower plant in Australia?
Hydropower is a renewable energy generation method that’s been around for quite a while, dating back to as early as the 1800s in Australia. A small town in rural Qld called Thargomindah was the first to produce hydroelectric power for street lighting using water pressure from the Artesian Basin. This was done by attaching generators to a water turbine driven by a bore water pressure. The hydropower plant lasted until 1951, at which time diesel generators were installed. Thargomindah was then connected to the grid in 1988.
How reliable is hydropower?
Hydropower is considered a reliable source of energy and will play an important role in Australia’s shift towards more sustainable power sources. The Clean Energy Council notes that hydropower can “rapidly ramp up its production to meet peak demand when the sun sets and solar output recedes,” easing pressure on the grid when it’s needed.
What other renewable energy sources are there?
So, if hydropower only accounts for about a third of Australia’s renewable energy, where is the rest coming from? Listed below are the other key ways Australia is sustainably sourcing its power:
- Rooftop solar
- Solar farms
- Wind power
- Bioenergy
- Geothermal
- Wave power.
Is hydropower the solution to Australia’s energy needs?
With about 7% of Australia’s total electricity generation coming from hydropower, it would appear it has a long way to go before it makes up a significant share of the country’s energy mix. But with the green light given to the expansion of the Snowy Hydro Scheme, it seems that hydro is set to make a splash in the energy market in the coming years.
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Image credit: SorbyPhoto/shutterstock.com
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