Snowy seeks approval to burn six times more diesel than planned at Kurri Kurri gas generator
Snowy Hydro’s “fast-start, on demand” hybrid hydrogen/gas plant is seeking permission to run entirely on diesel for at least its first year.
The gentailer is seeking to allow the project's two gas turbines to operate for up to 1,100 hours on diesel fuel in 2025, up from the currently approved limit of 175 hours.
Snowy says the modification is needed because the pipeline being built to deliver gas to the plant will not be ready for another year.
But the modification could send the plant’s year-one emissions soaring by up to 80%.
Snowy says the delay in construction of the pipeline is due to a combination of factors that include “wet weather and hot weather”.
The controversial project, which got its start under Morrison, was kept alive by the Albanese government with the promise of $700 million more in public funding on the condition it was built “hydrogen ready.”
It was soon revealed that the plant would start out using fossil gas only, and that moving to just 15% green hydrogen would be subject to construction delays and lack of availability.
It has since become clear that diesel will be a major part of the power plant’s early generation until gas supply and storage can catch up with the rest of the development.
The wait for gas comes down to the project’s heavily criticised location, which has meant building a 21km pipeline as well as an on-site storage pipeline.
And because it relies on these 10-hour on-site storages, its ability to provide gas back-up in periods of low renewable output would be limited.