Tumut Hydroelectric Power Station

Power stations in New South Wales, Australia

The Tumut Hydroelectric Power Stations ('/tj//uː//m//ə//t/) is a series of three hydroelectric power stations on the Tumut River in New South Wales, Australia, that are part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The generating assets of the three Tumut power stations are owned by Snowy Hydro Limited, a company whose shareholders include the governments of Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. The company is also licensed to manage the water rights used by the power stations.

Located downstream of Tumut Pond Dam and below ground level, Tumut 1 Power Station is situated approximately south west from Cabramurra, under Happy Valley Rd. A Lift & Ventilation Shaft is on Happy Valley Rd. The conventional hydroelectric power station has four turbine generators, with a combined generating capacity of of electricity; and a net generation of per annum. The power station was completed in 1959, and has rated head. The original transformer at Tumut 1 weighed ; and each assembled generator rotor is in excess of necessitating delivery in component pieces and assembly on site. The station is connected to the National Electricity Market via the 330kV Upper Tumut Switching Station, North of Cabramurra. The Upper Tumut Works is sometimes used as a colloquial term to refer to both Tumut 1 and Tumut 2 Underground Power Stations as well as their respective dams, tunnels and the Upper Tumut Switching Station.

Tumut 2 Power Station is situated approximately north of north west from Cabramurra, under Goat Ridge Rd, some below ground level. The conventional hydroelectric power station has four Francis turbine generators, with a combined generating capacity of and a net generation of per annum. The power station was completed in 1962, and has rated head. Water flows through the turbines at the rate of Pump storage schemes use off peak energy to pump water to a reservoir on a higher level. This water then passes through turbines to generate electricity when prices are higher. The sole powerhouse is located above ground, below Talbingo Dam. The power station is fitted with six Toshiba turbines, each equipped with Melco manufactured generators, It was completed in 1973, upgraded in 2012 and has rated head. Water is carried in six pipelines, each long and in diameter, delivering water both from and to Talbingo Reservoir. The pumps draw water from Jounama Pondage at the rate of , returning water to Talbingo Reservoir for later generation use in periods of peak demand. Between 2009 and December 2011, there was a major upgrade of Tumut 3, adding additional capacity in the range of to per unit. The station is connected to the National Electricity Market via the 330kV Lower Tumut Switching Station, 500m North West of Tumut 3 or 3.0 km south of south west from Talbingo.