Pumped Hydro

Pumped hydro storage systems store energy in the form of water in an upper reservoir, pumped from another reservoir at a lower elevation. During periods of high electricity demand, power is generated by releasing the stored water through turbines.

Pumped hydro systems act as "storage batteries", able to balance load within the overall power system when needed.

There are over 120 operating hydroelectric power stations in Australia, large and small. Snowy 2.0 will be one of the world's largest pumped hydro plants once completed.

The Australian Government has identified the importance of large-scale energy storage solution, such as pumped hydro, to ensure the security and reliability of the electricity grid.