Aggreko to Build Off-Grid Hybrid Plant for Eva Copper Mine

Global energy company Aggreko has signed a 15-year agreement with mining company Harmony to build Australia's largest off-grid renewable hybrid power plant at the proposed Eva Copper Mine near Cloncurry. The more than 200-hectare facility will combine solar, battery storage and thermal generation to deliver 72 megawatts of firm power.

First electricity is scheduled within the next year, with full operations set to begin in mid-2028 when the mine starts production.

Pacific managing director George Whyte said the plant is designed to support remote mining operations. During daylight hours solar power will be used first, with batteries storing excess energy for evening use. When operating at full capacity the facility will generate enough electricity for up to 40,000 homes, according to Whyte.

Katter said the need for such a large off-grid project is "embarrassing" because the region lacks connection to the national electricity grid. He attributed the requirement to delays and cost increases in the proposed CopperString high-voltage transmission line.

The line was originally estimated at $1 billion with a 2029 completion date; costs have risen to nearly $14 billion and the timeline has moved to 2031. Queensland's Treasurer and Minister for Energy, David Janetzki, said the government has "saved" the CopperString project after years of delays, with construction of work camps beginning in Hughenden in 2024.