Water supply arrangements remain under investigation, with the referral indicating the project will likely draw at least part of its requirements from the existing Dungowan Dam, either via a new pipeline or the existing Dungowan pipeline, subject to ongoing consultation with Tamworth Regional Council.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2029 and run for four to five years, with commercial operation targeted from mid-2033 and an operational lifespan of around 100 years.
The referral states the project would support the New South Wales Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and the “urgent need for utility-scale storage” identified in AEMO’s 2026 Integrated System Plan.
The referral’s biodiversity assessment identified 80 threatened species under the EPBC Act with potential to occur across the project area, of which 66 were assessed as having at least moderate likelihood of presence and, applying the precautionary principle, are treated as likely to be significantly impacted.
Species considered most at risk include the Regent Honeyeater, Koala, Greater Glider, Large-eared Pied Bat and Spot-tailed Quoll, alongside 26 threatened flora species.
