The Palaszczuk Government has ticked off a major milestone on a proposed $1 billion overhead high-voltage electricity transmission line which will connect major energy users and North West Queensland's public to the national electricity grid.
Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said Queensland's independent Coordinator-General today declared CuString Pty Ltd's CopperString Project a coordinated project.
"The proponent will now have to prepare a comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project, which could create up to 400 full-time jobs during its three-and-a-half-year construction phase and up to 30 full-time jobs once fully operational," he said.
"The project is a 1,100-kilometre 275 kilovolt overhead high-voltage electricity transmission line connecting the North West Minerals Provence and Mount Isa to the National Electricity Market grid south of Townsville.
"The proponent has stated the project will provide reliable electricity to communities and mines in the area, as well offering an alternative electricity supply to the North West."
Subject to approvals, CuString proposes to commence the first stage of construction, a 720-kilometre overhead high-voltage electricity line from Woodstock, south of Townsville, to the Chumvale Sub-station, near Cloncurry, by the end of 2020, with operations commencing by the end of 2022.
Member for Mundingburra Coralee O'Rourke said the project traverses eight local government areas including Townsville, Burdekin, Charters Towers, Flinders, Richmond, McKinlay, Cloncurry and Mount Isa.
"This is great news for local job creation and economic development in our region," she said.
Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the whole North West region would benefit from a project like this.
"The flow on effects of a project this size would see more jobs and investment opportunity for the entire region, with potential industrial manufacturing in the larger centres, as well as the potential benefits of more economical power supply.
Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper said subject to approvals, construction could commence in 2020, with initial commissioning of the connection to Chumvale in 2022.
"CuString then proposes to extend the line from the Chumvale Sub-station to Mount Isa and south to the Phosphate Hill Power Station and Cannington Mine as early as the beginning of 2024, subject to demand.
Mr Dick said the independent Coordinator-General will now prepare draft terms of reference for the environmental impact statement (EIS) that the proponent must produce and invite the community for public comment.
"The proponent will then have to produce a comprehensive EIS for the project that considers all potential environmental, social, economic and infrastructure impacts," he said. The EIS will look carefully at these impacts, and ultimately, it is up to the proponent to justify the economic need," he said.
