Goat Hill Pumped Storage Hydro Project, Port Augusta

Goat Hill pumped storage hydro project is a 250MW hydropower plant being developed in Lincoln Gap, approximately 12km west of Port Augusta, South Australia.

The project is being developed by Altura Group and its partner Delta Electricity with an estimated investment of $410m.

The project received development approval from the South Australian Government in April 2018. Construction is expected to be commenced in the second half of 2019, while commissioning is anticipated by the end of 2022.

The project will create approximately 200 jobs and is expected to power 135,000 homes.

Goat Hill pumped storage hydro project details

The Goat Hill pumped storage hydro project will comprise an upper and a lower reservoir, which will be engineered earthen embankment dams having a capacity between 4 and 4.5 million cubic meters.

The embankment height of the upper reservoir will be 20m, while that of the lower reservoir will range between 20m and 35m. Both the reservoirs will have evaporation covers installed on the water surface.

A water conveyance system comprising a surface penstock and a vertical pressure shaft with a combined length of 1km will be installed from the upper reservoir. The surface penstock will be made of high-strength steel with a diameter of 6m.

The powerhouse will be a three-storey building consisting of a single shaft with an internal diameter from 30m to 40m. It will be equipped with two reversible Francis pump-turbines having a capacity of 110MW and 135MW each. A motor generator, valves, and associated ancillary systems will be located in the lower part of the powerhouse.

A tailrace connecting the powerhouse to the lower reservoir will be constructed.

Power transmission from the Goat Hill hydropower project

An air-insulated switchyard will be built to connect the project to the South Australian electricity network. A 275kV overhead transmission line will be installed to feed the generated electricity to the South Australian energy market.

The transmission line will either be connected to ElectraNet’s new Corraberra substation linked with the Lincoln Gap wind farm or ElectraNet’s high-voltage 275kV network located approximately 12km to the south of the project site.

The transmission towers will have a height of 50m and will be 400m apart. A 6.5km medium-voltage transmission line will be constructed to connect the construction compound and surrounding area to South Australian power network.

Goat Hill project infrastructure

The Goat Hill pumped storage hydro project can be accessed from the Eyre Highway. A new 8km main access road is to be constructed from the Eyre Highway to the lower reservoir.

Potable water to fill the reservoirs will be sourced from the SA Water Morgan-Whyalla pipeline system located approximately 8km south of the project site. A 9km water supply pipeline will be built towards the north from the South Australian water main pipeline connection point.

The project site will also include workshops, waste storage areas, sewerage treatment plant, and warehouses.

Financing for Goat Hill pumped storage power plant

Delta Electricity received a funding grant of $4.7m from the South Australian government’s Renewable Technology Fund in February 2018.

Contractors involved

Altura Group has secured agreements with SNC Lavalin, WBHO, and SRG on an early contractor involvement basis.

EBS ecology was involved in preparing the flora and fauna assessment of the project, while Golder Associates prepared the surface water quantity and quality technical report and scope environmental management plan.

WGA was engaged in traffic impact and access point assessment studies, while Convergen prepared the 3D imagery for the project.