In December, just weeks after celebrating its 60th birthday, the hydro power station was swiftly taken offline due to the inundation of water in the Barron River following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

Extremely high water levels in the Barron River caused significant damage to critical infrastructure at the Kuranda Weir which stores water required for power generation.

Over the past six months, which were some of the wettest in recent memory, CleanCo has carried out critical infrastructure works at the Kuranda Weir. The completion of a temporary rock wall, or coffer dam, has now reinstated the function of the weir and enabled the power station to come back online.

It also provides safe access for the next phase in the recovery which includes the construction of a weather resilient, permanent concrete wall at the weir.

While the power station has been offline, CleanCo has put maintenance and safety at the top of the list, conducting inspections and cleaning key power station infrastructure, as well as undertaking significant testing of generation units ahead of the station’s return to service.

Over the course of the recovery, CleanCo has worked closely with a range of local stakeholders including tourism operators impacted by the cyclone and damage to infrastructure, the local councils and disaster management groups, and the local community. The Traditional Owners, the Djabugay People, have provided Cultural Heritage advice and monitoring at key stages throughout the works, and will continue to be involved in the ongoing recovery efforts.