Summary Heading

Snowy Hydro Limited is a water and integrated energy business. Under a stringent water licence, Snowy Hydro captures, stores, diverts water and releases it for the use of irrigators, town water supplies and the environment. In addition, Snowy Hydro is a producer, supplier, trader and retailer of energy in the National Electricity Market and a provider of risk management financial hedge contracts. 

Creation

This agency was created by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Act of 1949 (No.25 of 1949) being given Royal assent on 7 July 1949. Sir William Hudson was appointed the first Commissioner of the Authority on 1 August 1949.

Prior to its incorporation under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the company was previously known as Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority.

Snowy Hydro became a Commonwealth company on 29 June 2018 and was prescribed as a Government Business Enterprise on 1 July 2018.

Abolition

Functions and activities

The function of the agency is to provide hydro-electric work in the Snowy Mountains Area. The generation and supply of electricity is for the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria. 

Snowy Hydro is a fully Australian-owned company, incorporated under the Corporations Act (Cth). It is governed by an independent Board of Directors, and operates on a strictly commercial basis. The Commonwealth Government is the sole shareholder of Snowy Hydro Ltd, from which it receives an annual dividend.

Legislation administered

The Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Power Act No.25 of 1949

Administrative structure

A Commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General who also appoints the Assistant Commissioners.

The general organisation of the Agency provides for several groups: Business Manager's Group, Civic Design and Scientific Service Group, Investigation Group, and Major Contracts. In addition there are three other divisions; Stores and Supply Division, Regional Management Division and Field Construction Division.

Historical agency address

Monaro Highway, Cooma, NSW, 2630

State/regional structure

Records created by the agency

The system of the Registry correspondence files had various changes over the years. Associated registration and movement cards and index cards were also created. Each group and division appears to have a set of related records.

Additional information

End notes and Sources

Home - Snowy Hydro