A peaking plant with a purpose
The Kurri Kurri-based facility, a former aluminium smelter site, is a peaking power plant, designed to operate during periods of high electricity demand, such as hot summer afternoons or during unexpected outages. Unlike baseload plants that run continuously, peaking plants are nimble, firing up to inject power into Australia’s grid when it’s needed most.
The Hunter Power Project is not a step back from renewables. It’s a firming solution. As wind and solar become dominant sources of clean energy, their intermittency creates volatility. The gas turbines at Kurri Kurri provide dispatchable energy, meaning they can be turned on quickly to balance the grid when renewables dip.
The plant will deliver up to 660 MW, enough to stabilize the grid during peak demand and support the integration of 1,500 to 2,000 MW of renewable energy.
It will also eliminate approximately 6 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
Engineering excellence, the people and planning behind the power
Behind the scenes, a highly coordinated, integrated project team of more than 750 workers—including engineers, construction crews, environmental specialists, and government stakeholders—has brought the Hunter Power Project to life. The team has already achieved major milestones, with initial power generation as commissioning progresses.
To ensure this complex infrastructure delivers on its promise, we have played a pivotal role in supporting Snowy Hydro across engineering, quality assurance, commissioning, and operational readiness. Leveraging our deep expertise in complex infrastructure and energy systems, we have contributed niche capabilities in high-voltage protection, functional safety, control systems, and mechanical commissioning. From leading the quality team and managing project-wide documentation handover, to coordinating generator connection studies and compliance with the National Electricity Rules, our integration into the project team has ensured technical excellence and regulatory compliance.
We have also developed detailed operational test procedures, alarm response manuals, and isolation schedules to support safe and efficient commissioning. Through our structured Operational Readiness program, a critical component that bridges the gap between construction and day-to-day operations, we are managing discrete work packages and deploying our proprietary Ready operational readiness management system to support a smooth transition from construction to operation.
The Hunter Power Project stands as a symbol of balance between old and new, reliability and innovation, and the urgent need to act while building a sustainable energy future.
