Two mini hydro electricity systems to help the ACT reach 100% in renewables

Googong Dam Mini Hydro (photo from Icon Water)

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has a goal to have 100% renewable electricity by 2020. This sustainable electricity will supply Canberra’s population of over 400,000 people. It is well on the way to achieve that goal with the main contributors being a number of large-scale solar and wind farms.

However, small initiatives and a mixture of approaches to providing renewable energy all contribute as do these two mini hydro systems. They were commissioned by Icon Water which is owned by the ACT Government and provides water and sewerage services to the territory.

The Googong Dam Mini Hydro system generates 600 kW to power the water treatment plant, pump station and Googong Dam. The hydro system uses the gravity fed environmental flows from the dam to run two turbines and generators.

The Mount Stromlo Mini Hydro system generates 630 kW of electricity which is connected to the grid. The gravity fed water to power the system is a bypass of the west main inlet from Bendora Dam which is at 80 metres higher elevation. The mini hydro is located in a small building at the bottom of the Mount Stromlo Water Treatment Plant.