Melbourne Water opens 400 kW hydroelectric plant at St Albans Reservoir

Melbourne turbine

A new 400 kW hydroelectric plant is powering Melbourne Water’s operations at St Albans Reservoir, helping to provide clean, low-cost energy and reduce cost of living pressures for Victorians.

The St Albans plant is Melbourne Water’s 16th hydroelectric infrastructure asset, according to a release. It joins the recently completed 315 kW Upper Yarra, Yarra Valley Conduit hydroelectric plant. In addition, the company is about to begin construction on a 990 kW hydropower plant at O’Shannassy Reservoir, which will be completed in 2025.

Our hydroelectric power stations harness a natural, sustainable and reliable source of energy, rather than letting it go to waste,” said Ian Royston, Melbourne Water Technical Specialist. “Flow through the St Albans plant is 55 megalitres per day, that’s equivalent to almost 23 Olympic-sized swimming pools and spins the turbine at about 1350 revolutions per minute.”

Melbourne Water generates hydroelectricity throughout its water supply network, helping to decarbonize the Victorian electricity grid. Using gravity, water moves from major storage reservoirs at higher ground to smaller, lower reservoirs. As water approaches through the pipelines, the company channels this pressure through hydroelectric turbines. The electricity is used on site to power the reservoir’s operations, and excess is fed back into the power grid, reducing operating and customer costs.

The company said it will continue to reduce emissions as much as it can, across every area of its business, as it strives toward Net Zero.

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