Australia’s biggest hydropower project faces delay to 2028

Australia’s biggest hydropower project faces a delay of up to two years, likely pushing its start-up out to 2028, in the latest setback for the A$5 billion ($3.33 billion) renewable energy project.
The Snowy 2.0 project is now expected to cost more due to the delay, which the government-owned company blamed on a shortage of skilled workers, complex designs, soft ground and supply chain disruptions.
The updated guidance meant the first power could be generated as late as December 2028. The setback comes as the federal government aims to get 82% of the east coast market’s power from renewables by 2030, up from 30% now.
The government had first hoped Snowy 2.0 would be built by 2021, but that deadline was later pushed out to 2026.
The market will need power from the Snowy 2.0 project to help replace capacity from three coal-fired power stations due to close by 2028.