Gloucester Coal, a subsidiary of China-headquartered mining giant Yancoal Australia has been given New South Wales (NSW) state government approval to proceed with the $1.8 billion (USD 1.2 billion) Stratford Pumped Hydro and Solar Project.
Located 100 kilometres northwest of Newcastle in the Gloucester Valley, the 300 MW pumped hydro power energy storage (PHES) system will provide 12 hours of long-duration energy storage (LDES), and a 320 MW solar farm to charge the PHES project being built on the former Stratford Coal Mine site.
According at a Yancoal Australia environmental impact statement (EIS) summary booklet about the project, it will also be capable of producing 400 MW over 9 hours, subject to network capacity.
The mine closed in 2024 after exhausting its 65 million tonne of coal supply and rehabilitation operations are already underway in preparation for project’s development as the Stratford Renewable Energy Hub (SREH).
The government said the Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) project is forecast to deliver around 13% of the NSW 2034, 42 GWh LDES target.
Under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap (EIR) further LDES project bids were opened in May 2026 in Tender Round 9 seeking a 12 GWh of LDES with minimum objectives of 2 GW and 16 GWh by 2030, and 28 GWh by 2034.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said it is the first pumped hydro project to secure final planning approval in NSW in 6 years.
“It’s a sign of our commitment to a clean energy future and the beginnings of an evolution of jobs and energy generation in the Hunter to power homes and businesses,” Scully said.
“Projects like Stratford Pumped Hydro also show how we can make the most of former mining sites and create new jobs and industry which will help to drive the region’s economic growth for decades to come.”
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