Mayor Sam Coupland says there are some significant gaps in the Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project (Oven Mountain PHES) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as he works through the 5000 plus pages of the EIS and associated documents within the tight 28 day public exhibition period.
“Whilst we’ve received some briefings from Oven Mountain PHES people about the project it’s really been a one-way conversation to date with plenty of radio silence on their part. I’m not sure they have taken the time to really understand the aspirations Council and the community have for our region and this shows in the EIS. We have an expectation that all prospective renewable projects will operate as partners in our region by fully engaging with Council rather than doing the bare minimum to clear planning requirements.” concluded the Mayor.
Oven Mountain PHES comprises a new 900 megawatt underground pumped hydro-electric power station, upper dam and reservoir, lower dam and reservoir, main access tunnels, water intake structures, spillway, Macleay River pump facility, grid connection and ancillary infrastructure.
