Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick welcomes AGL’s big announcement that it has secured the right to develop, own and operate a 250-megawatt pumped hydro energy storage facility at Kanmantoo’s copper mine.

As the mine winds up mining operations over the next two years and processes the remaining ore AGL’s plan is to construct a holding dam above the existing mine pit to hold water for the pumped hydro scheme.

AGL’s Executive General Manager of Wholesale Markets, Richard Wrightson, said it is an exciting project that continues our plans to invest in our core energy markets business.

“If we proceed and the project is approved, it would be an important addition to our technology mix in South Australia.

It would help us to meet the changing needs of the South Australian energy market, in which energy storage assets are likely to be needed to provide dispatchable capacity as renewables generation increases over coming years,” Mr Wrightson said.

Mr Pederick said this is only one of many projects planned or currently underway in the electorate of Hammond.

“It is fantastic to see so many wonderful developments happening in the area and it shows that Hammond is a part of the state worth investing in.”