Plans are progressing for the delivery of a new high-capacity common use transmission line to link renewable energy generation in the Maitland Strategic Industrial Area with Karratha and major Pilbara industry players.

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Traditional Owners, the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation, and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation—who have formed an alliance for the project that is part of a working group with the state government—are continuing to work alongside Perdaman, Woodside, and Yara Pilbara on the groundbreaking development.

The project has the potential to be the first in the state to attract concessional finance from the Commonwealth’s Rewiring the Nation fund, up to $3 billion of which has been allocated to WA.

It is anticipated the Maitland-Karratha-Burrup line will provide the template for future common use renewable infrastructure to support the region’s decarbonisation.

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said, “Development of the planned Maitland-Karratha-Burrup line represents the first major step in decarbonising the Pilbara and will help drive my Government’s plans to make WA a green energy powerhouse.

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“This project has strong potential to unlock additional job-creating opportunities on the Burrup Peninsula, while meeting growing demand for clean, reliable energy.

“With support for Traditional Owners and industry, this project has strong potential to create quality local jobs, build better regions and deliver economic growth that benefits all Western Australians.”

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Transgrid and its construction partner Elecnor Australia have finished construction of EnergyConnect’s Line 1—a new double-circuit 330kV transmission line stretching 135km from Buronga, in south-western NSW, to the South Australian border.

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Transgrid executive general manager of major projects Gordon Taylor said, “Completion of construction of the line from Buronga to the South Australian border is a major milestone for EnergyConnect, with some final minor works and testing to be carried out before energisation.

“We are getting on with the job of delivering this nation-critical transmission infrastructure to enable energy sharing between NSW, South Australia and Victoria for the first time. The interconnector will deliver cleaner, cheaper renewable energy to millions of customers and help achieve Australia’s emissions reduction targets.”

The construction effort by more than 450 workers has included:

• Construction of worker accommodation camps at Buronga and Renmark Road, equipment laydowns and access tracks
• The drilling and pouring of 1,366 concrete tower foundations
• The erection of 291 towers using 6,000 tonnes of steel
• The stringing of 1,900km of conductor cabling—the equivalent distance of driving from Sydney to Brisbane and back again.

Construction of one of the largest and most sophisticated substations in the Southern Hemisphere is also nearing completion at Buronga.

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Elecnor Australia project director Felipe Delgado Davara said, “I’m immensely proud of the progress and achievements we have accomplished and the way our teams have worked together to achieve this significant milestone of completing the first stage of the project.

“The collaboration with our exceptional civil works and electrical contractors, as well as the construction delivery partners, has been instrumental in advancing activities within the substation and overhead transmission line disciplines.”

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This 97MW connection will add power for 67,000 houses annually into the National Energy Market (NEM) electricity grid.

Located 40km north-east of Port Fairy the Hawkesdale Wind Farm is owned by Global Power Generation Australia (GPGA), a division of the Naturgy Energy Group.

Helicopter stringing, or heli-stringing, is a faster alternative to land-based methods and uses significantly less ground infrastructure and heavy machinery.

The heli-stringing team was made up of 24 workers who undertook the work over six, 12-hour days.

AusNet chief development officer Jon D’Sylva said this work was part of a broader project to connect the Ryan Corner and Hawkesdale wind farms in Victoria’s south west into the energy grid.

“We are working with Elecnor to design, build and operate the transmission assets that will connect the Hawkesdale Wind Farm to the national electricity grid,” D’Sylva said.

GPGA managing director Pedro Serrano congratulated AusNet on the innovative approach to the stringing of the transmission line.

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“The connection of the Hawkesdale and Ryan Corner wind farms to the national grid brings us closer to meeting the Victorian and national renewable energy targets,” he said.

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Transgrid executive general manager of delivery Craig Stallan said, “Transgrid is delivering the critical transmission infrastructure identified by the Commonwealth and NSW governments to realise their clean energy vision.

“The Mount Piper to Wallerawang Transmission Line Upgrade Project will strengthen and reinforce the grid in the State’s Central Tablelands, supporting the delivery of 3,000MW of new generation from the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone to consumers.

“Following extensive community and stakeholder consultation, we have identified a preferred route with the lowest possible impact on landowners and the environment, utilising an existing transmission line corridor.

“Transgrid encourages residents, landowners, community organisations, First Nations people, local councils and other key stakeholders to have their say as we continue to plan this critical transmission infrastructure to support our clean energy future.”

The project will see a new 8km, 330kV transmission line built between existing substations at Mount Piper and Wallerawang utilising an existing transmission line corridor, part of which borders land between Centennial Coal and the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.

“We recognise the vital role that landowners and the community play in the planning and delivery of this project and encourage everyone to share their views and local knowledge to help us shape the best possible solution,” Stallan said.

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Community information events will be held in Wallerawang and Lithgow in March for local residents to ask questions of the project team and provide their feedback.

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The boost in capacity will give Far North Queensland communities access to stronger and more reliable electricity, according to the state’s network operator, Powerlink Queensland.

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It also supports the in-flight Far North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), supporting the expected installation of 500-700MW of renewable generation across the region.

Kaban Green Power Hub, a foundation project of the Far North Queensland REZ, can now operate at full capacity, allowing Far North Queensland communities to capitalise on strong and clean wind energy.

This is one part of a two staged approach to strengthen the Far North Queensland electricity network with upgrade works on the Tully South Substation to be completed in April 2024.

Powerlink chief operating officer Gary Edwards said, “This is a significant milestone for the development and operability of the high voltage network, especially for communities across Far North Queensland.

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“It allows the clean energy from Kaban’s Green Power Hub to operate at full capacity and allows for more renewable generators to connect into the grid.

“This additional resilience to our network will be further supported when Ross Substation upgrades are complete in early 2024.”

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The network has been carrying out upgrades to extend the life of a 330kV transmission line which runs through farmland and rugged National Park between Kangaroo Valley and Dapto.

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Transgrid executive general manager of delivery Craig Stallan said, “Our network spans more than 13,000km and takes in all kinds of terrain. This is one example of some of the incredibly challenging locations our people work in every day to help keep the system running safely.

“The refurbishment of this line will extend its life by another 35 years which is a great outcome. The team had to overcome many challenges, going above and beyond for the community,” he said.

The transmission line was built in 1963 and spans more than 43km. The refurbishment included strengthening towers and footings and replacing aged insulators and fittings along the line.

One of the most challenging sites was at Tongarra where crews had to work on a clifftop where a 915m span descends into a valley below at 45 degrees. The work included replacing dozens of line spacers, which separate conductors and prevents them from clashing. To do this, a lineworker had to sit in a specially designed trolley suspended from the transmission line, working up to 150 metres above the ground.

Project engineer Katherine Cai said, “When we replace conductor spacers, we de-energise the line, use a winch to lift a trolley up the tower and hook the trolley onto the line. A lucky linesperson then gets to sit in the trolley and ride the trolley down the transmission line.”
The challenging project was completed safely thanks to substantial planning to manage the risks.

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“The conductor trolley travelled at a controlled speed using a winch to lower it. We had a rescue plan in place with backup trolleys and we also kept a close eye on wind speed and weather conditions.

“Once the lineworker in the trolley arrived at each conductor spacer, they replaced them by hand and once they were done, they were off to the next one, so it was a little bit of a rollercoaster ride,” she said.

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The proposed route for the 190km transmission line between Sydenham and Bulgana is the result of 18 months of extensive investigations, field surveys and consultation.

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WVTNP executive project director Stephanie McGregor said it had been designed to run along existing transmission line easements and at a maximum distance from houses as much as possible, and to minimise impacts—including on Aboriginal cultural heritage, agriculture, and vegetation.

“Determining this proposed route is a positive step toward unlocking more clean, renewable energy as the state moves to sustainable green power in coming years,” she said.

There are three locations along the route where alternative options are still being investigated—at Hepburn Lagoon, Darley and Melton Aerodrome—due to potential visual, landscape, Aboriginal cultural heritage and aviation impacts.

McGregor said AusNet Services had planned to finalise the route by the end of this year, but it was a complex project and important to take the time to investigate these alternatives.

“Sharing the proposed route now will ensure much-needed clarity for around 220 of the 460 landholders that were within the single corridor. They now have the confirmation that their property is not on the proposed route,” she said.

AusNet Services has also released the preliminary findings of its investigation into undergrounding the transmission line, including full and partial undergrounding.

The investigation has found that undergrounding the transmission line would require significant soil and vegetation removal and disturbance of Aboriginal cultural heritage, would limit opportunities for future renewable development, not meet the technical availability and reliability requirements of the electricity system, and cost approximately 16 times more. As a result, overhead construction has been recommended by the investigation.

AusNet is still investigating undergrounding in some sections as part of the visual amenity and landscape assessments currently underway as part of the Environment Effects Statement (EES).

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The key findings of the investigation have been shared with the community and published on the WVTNP website, while the full report will form part of the EES for the project.

AusNet Services land liaison officers are now contacting each landholder within the proposed route to discuss their specific land use and requirements, the proposed route, easements and compensation.

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