Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, Mick de Brenni, has awarded $190 million to contractors for major works on the Borumba Pumped Hydro project south-west of Gympie.
Three major works contracts were awarded although the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DEECCW) has not yet approved Queensland Hydro’s plan for managing the environmental impact of exploratory works.
Sources told The Pineapple all Main Works contracts are subject to approvals. Contracts have been awarded now so contractors are available and ready to go when or if the offical green light comes through.
Asked if it was appropriate for Main Works contracts to be approved before DEECCW approval, a spokesman for Queensland Hydro said: ‘Yes. The Main Works design contracts are an important next step for the Borumba project and will support development of the project’s scope and the Main Works Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
‘It is important to note the Main Works are not subject to the Exploratory Works approvals process. Main works approvals are being progressed separately.
‘The project is now many years into its development and has gone through a number of robust and independent assurance processes,’ the spokesman said.
Minister de Brenni said Water2Wire Joint Venture was appointed as Dams Designer Delivery Partner, with packages totalling $40 million to advance design and engineering of the upper and lower reservoirs.
Minister Mick de Brenni
AFRY-Aurecon JV was awarded the $39.9 million Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) Designer package to advance front-end engineering design documentation.
This will focus on technical elements of the pumped hydro scheme such as the interplay between the turbines, cavern design, tunnel waterway design and other equipment.
Decmil was awarded a contract for approximately $111 million to design and construct two temporary worker accomodation camps (TWAC) on the project site.
The ‘Borgan Camp’ will be accessed via Bella Creek Road at its junction with Borgan Road, 18 km west of Imbil, while the ‘Walkers Top Camp’ will be accessed via Yielo Road near its junction with Walkers Top Road, 20 km north-east of Jimna.
The two camps will each house up to 336 workers and will both contain a wellness room, gym facility, running track, social room and laundry facilities.
Queensland Hydro map showing locations of the temporary workers accomodation camps (TWAC)
Minister de Brenni said awarding the contracts was a huge milestone for one of the most important renewable energy projects in Australia.
‘We’re bringing together local knowledge and global expertise to deliver what will be a nation-defining project to provide cheaper, cleaner and more secure electricity to all Queenslanders,’ Minister de Brenni said.
Workers camps aim to reduce impact
Queensland Hydro CEO Kieran Cusack said the contracts were awarded with local communities in mind.
Queensland Hydro CEO Keiran Cusack
‘Queensland Hydro is well aware of the potential disruption a project of this scale could have on small regional communities and we are working with them to ensure we get our plans right.
‘In developing our plans, we respect these communities and we are taking the lessons from other projects to ensure we are good neighbours. A big part of this is minimising the impact on housing and roads near where we will operate.
‘By housing as many workers as possible in state-of-the-art temporary worker camps on-site, we’ll be reducing the need for workers to occupy homes or other accommodation within the regions and avoid hundreds of vehicle movements each day.’
Opportunities for locals to sub-contract
Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce President Janelle Parker said while the contracts had been awarded to large national companies, there were opportunities for local businesses to sub-contract.
Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce President Janelle Parker
‘I believe there would be a clause about using a percentage of local businesses and staff,’ Ms Parker said.
‘All tenders are listed on the Queensland Hydro web site and there have been workshops for prospective tenderers. I’d encourage interested people to keep an eye out for opportunities’
PHOTO top of story of existing Lake Borumba and dam wall by Vivienne Wynter
