ENVIRONMENT AND RECREATION

Snowy 2.0 is a renewable energy project with broad-scale environmental benefits - it is a centrepiece in Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

For almost 70 years, Snowy Hydro has responsibly operated the Snowy Scheme in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP). We are committed to minimising potential impacts from Snowy 2.0, as we do for our existing business. The park is our backyard and we want to look after it.

The small, localised area temporarily impacted during construction is less than 0.1% of KNP and once operational, it will be only 0.01%. The unavoidable impacts will be offset and construction areas will be rehabilitated, in accordance with the approvals for the project. Around $100 million will be provided by Snowy Hydro to the offsets program for Kosciuszko National Park. The majority of these funds will go directly to National Parks and Wildlife Service. These funds are targeted to directly contribute to the ongoing and long-term conservation and recreational use of the park.

WATER

The Snowy Scheme operates under a strict water licence issued by the NSW Government. As a pumped-hydro project, Snowy 2.0 will simply recycle water between two existing reservoirs, so it will not in any way affect Snowy Hydro’s continued compliance with the water licence.

In particular, there will be no change to Snowy Hydro’s water release obligations from both the Murray and Tumut developments, and no change to environmental release obligations, meaning Snowy 2.0 will not have any impact on downstream water users or environmental flows.