Hydro power plan

Townsville Bulletin
Wednesday 4/6/2008 Page: 11

THE new man in charge of the Burdekin Falls Dam says a hydroelectric power station for the dam could soon be viable. Peter Boettcher is the new CEO of SunWater since the retirement of Peter Noonan last year. Sunwater has for several years been considering a proposal to construct a hydroelectric power station for the dam. The plan is for the station to be powered by dam water Sunwater releases for irrigation customers and by water flowing over the spillway.

About 986,000 megalitres of water a day poured over the spillway walls during heavy rain earlier this year. The proposed station would generate about 30MW of renewable energy and power 19,000 homes. Mr Boettcher said investigations were continuing into the feasibility and viability of such a station - and it could depend on whether the Burdekin Falls Dam wall can be raised to increase its capacity.

The State Government says a 2m increase in the height of the Burdekin wall would cost about $65 million. Our expectation is that with an ever increasing trend toward green energy, the construction of hydropower stations on dams will become more viable," Mr Boettcher said. The new CEO said he wanted SunWater to extend its services into the treatment of wastewater throughout regional Queensland. "As regional Queensland's leading bulk water supplier, it makes good sense for us to become more involved in this area of water management for regional and remote councils," Mr Boettcher said.

"I also see SunWater continuing to build its water supply relationship with the growing industrial community spread throughout regional Queensland." He saw a need to concentrate the corporation's efforts on the state's water shortage. "SunWater is actively investigating water supply solutions to overcome immediate water shortage and sustainability issues," he said. "We are heavily involved in water infrastructure investigation and development which will enable the future growth of regional Queensland."