The Snowy Mountains Council which came into being on 2 January 1959 [1] was constituted under clause 17 of the First Schedule to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Act 1958 which was proclaimed to come into operation on 6 November 1958. The First Schedule being an Agreement made between the Commonwealth of Australia, the State of New South Wales and the State of Victoria concerning various hydro-electric projects in the Snowy Mountains.

The functions of the Council are:
(a) to direct and control-
 (i) the operation and maintenance of the permanent works of the
     Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority for the control of
     water and the production of electricity; and
(ii) the allocation of loads to generating stations;
(b) to advise on-
 (i) the co-ordination of the works carried out or to be carried out
     by the Authority with the works carried out or to be carried out
     by the States for
A. the generation and transmission of electricity; and
B. irrigation; and
 (ii) the principles that should be followed in allocating capital
      expenditure amongst stages of the permanent works of the
      Authority and;
(c) to determine the period of years at which amounts, the total of which, if invested annually at compound interest, calculated at the average rate payable on the amount owing by the Authority to the Commonwealth, would equal the difference between the cost of the replacement asset and the cost of the asset which it replaces. 

The Council is to consist of eight members;
(a) two members appointed by the Minister to represent the
    Commonwealth one of whom shall be appointed by the Minister as
    the Chairman and the other as the Deputy Chairman of the Council. (b) two members appointed by the State of New South Wales to
    represent that State.
(c) two members appointed by the State of Victoria to represent 
    that State;
(d) the Commissioner constituting the Authority or, during any
    absence of the Commissioner, an Associate of Commissioner
    appointed under the Act; and
(e) an Associate Commissioner or an officer of the Authority
    appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Authority.

By 1961 [2] the membership of the Council was:
(a) representing the Commonwealth -
 Dr. H G Raggatt, CBE (Chairman)
 Dr. L F Loder, CBE (Deputy Chairman)
(b) representing New South Wales -
 A W B Coady, CMG
 R A Young
(c) representing Victoria -
 W H Connolly
 L R East, CBE
(d) Commissioner constituting the Authority -
 Sir William Hudson, KBE
(e) member appointed on recommendation of the Authority -
 E L Merigan

At May 1998 [3] Council membership consisted of:
(a) representing the Commonwealth - 
 N Williams, Executive Director, AGSO (Chairman)
 D E Banfield, First Assistant Secretary, DPIE (Deputy Chairman)
(b) representing New South Wales -
 G Maltabarrow, NSW Treasury
 K Alvarez, Department of Land and Water Conservation
(c) representing Victoria - 
 C Munro, Department of Treasury and Finance
 C Fitzpatrick, Department of Natural Resources and Environment
(d) SMHEA - 
 V M Good, Commissioner
The Secretary to the Council was M A Sewell, HDA, Department of Primary Industries and Energy.

In preparation for corporatisation a jointly owned company, Snowy Hydro Trading Pty Limited (SHTPL), was established by the New South Wales Government and the State Electricity Commission of Victoria in February 1997. Since the introduction of an interconnected wholesale electricity market in south-east Australia in May 1997, all energy produced by the Scheme has been traded by SHTPL on behalf of the entitlement holders.

The Council presents an annual report to the three governments not later than 31 October in each year, the report covering the twelve months ending on 30 June.

Sources:
1. Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority 10th Annual Report,
   Parliamentary Papers 1960-1961, Vol IV p. 1370
2. Commonwealth Directory, 1961, p. 123
3. Snowy Mountains Council Annual Report 1997-98, Parliamentary
   Paper No. 214 of 1998
Historical agency address
  1964-by1965: AMP Building, Petrie St, Civic Centre, ACT
  1965-by1967: Hobart House, Hobart Place, Canberra City, ACT
by1967-1981  : Tasman House, Hobart Place, Canberra City, ACT
by1982-1983  : South Tower, CAGA Centre, Akuna Street, Canberra City
by1983-1988  : Jolimont Centre, Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City
  1988-      : Edmund Barton Building, Broughton Street, Barton, ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Acts No. 31 of 1958; Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Act 1958.

Minister responsible unregistered

New South Wales - Subject to research 
Victoria - Subject to research

Superior agency unregistered

New South Wales - Subject to research
Victoria - Subject to research