newy.com.au – A $1.8 billion pumped hydro and solar project capable of powering up to 120,000 homes has received final planning approval for a former coal mine in the Gloucester Valley.
The Stratford Pumped Hydro and Solar project will be built at the Stratford Mining Complex, about 100 kilometres north of Newcastle, where coal mining ended in 2024.
Proposed by Gloucester Coal Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Yancoal Australia Limited, the development will include a 300-megawatt pumped hydro power station with 12 hours of energy storage and a 320-megawatt solar farm.
Water will be transferred between a new upper reservoir and an existing dam through a tunnel, with the initial water supply to come from the mine site. The system will store surplus electricity generated during the day and release it during periods of peak demand, including in the evening.
The project is forecast to deliver about 13 per cent of NSW’s 2034 long-duration storage target. It is expected to create up to 350 construction jobs and 10 ongoing positions.
A voluntary planning agreement with MidCoast Council will also provide about $18.2 million over the life of the project for community and infrastructure projects.
The development was declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure in June 2024 and forms part of the NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which is intended to diversify the state’s energy mix as coal-fired power stations close.
Hunter Minister Yasmin Catley said the approval would give the former mine site a productive new use while drawing on the region’s existing infrastructure and workforce.
“This is exactly what planning for the future looks like,” Ms Catley said.
“We are taking a former mine site and giving it a new purpose powering up to 120,000 homes across New South Wales.
“This is a major vote of confidence in our region. We have the land, infrastructure, and skilled workforce needed to deliver the next generation of major energy projects.”
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said it was the first pumped hydro development to receive final planning approval in NSW in six years.
“Projects like Stratford Pumped Hydro also show how we can make the most of former mining sites and create new jobs and industry which will help to drive the region’s economic growth for decades to come,” Mr Scully said.
The approval comes as the Hunter’s existing industrial infrastructure increasingly supports renewable energy projects. The Port of Newcastle remains the world’s largest coal export port but is also an entry point for wind turbines, solar panels and battery storage systems destined for projects across the region and beyond.
Part of the port has been declared State Significant Infrastructure to consolidate approvals for upgrades and provide greater flexibility for its future operations.
Newcastle MP Tim Crackanthorp said the port had an important role in the changing energy sector.
“The Port of Newcastle is the mouth that feeds the state’s transition to renewable energy,” Mr Crackanthorp said.
“This project is a great glimpse into NSW energy future, reusing a former mining site for new and innovative renewable energy technologies.”
The NSW Government says 52 renewable energy projects have been approved since March 2023, with the potential to power 5.1 million homes once built. Another 57 renewable energy, storage, pumped hydro and transmission projects, representing 12.9 gigawatts of proposed generation, are under assessment across the state.
