Queensland Hydro has appointed a joint venture of Mott MacDonald, GHD and Stantec to be dams designer delivery partner for the planned A$14.2bn (US$9.63bn) Borumba Pumped Hydro Project at Lake Borumba.

The so-called Water2Wire JV will be responsible for engineering and design for the project’s seven proposed dams, which are about an hour’s drive inland from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Six new dams will form a new upper reservoir, and one new dam wall and spillway will be built immediately downstream from the existing Borumba Dam. It will increase the holding capacity of Lake Borumba, which will become the system’s lower reservoir.

Queensland Hydro says the system will be able to generate 2,000MW of electricity and store up to 24 hours of energy.

It works by releasing water from the upper reservoir to the lower one through turbines.

The state of Queensland announced A$6bn in funding for the scheme last June, while the total project cost is estimated to be A$14.2bn.

First power is targeted for 2030.

Queensland aims to generate 80% of its electricity renewably by 2035.

“Water2Wire has consistently demonstrated their expertise in delivering world-class hydropower and dam projects,” said Queensland Hydro chief executive Kieran Cusack.

In Australia, UK-headquartered Mott MacDonald has worked on the Kidston, Pioneer-Burdekin, and Muswellbrook pumped hydro storage projects.