Eyre Peninsula powerline must be replaced, ElectraNet tells State Commission Assessment Panel
People living on Eyre Peninsula know their electricity supply needs to be fixed as its currently powerline will not cope with future demand. ElectraNet has a $300m answer.
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The existing electricity supply line to the Eyre Peninsula will not cope with future demand, a development application to the State Commission Assessment Panel says.
A project by transmission company ElectraNet to replace the line, estimated to cost between $240 million and $300 million, is therefore essential to support the region’s economic growth, the application says.
Without the project, the connection point at Port Lincoln will fail to meet relevant standards, it adds.
The project, which would create about 150 jobs during construction, has been opened by SCAP for public comment.
ElectraNet has already held a series of community and stakeholder engagement events.
These “indicated strong support” because the existing line, built in 1967, was deteriorating.
The project has Crown sponsorship, with Mining and Energy Department chief executive Paul Heithersay saying it had strategic benefits and would support “agriculture, aquaculture, tourism and mining industries as well as the growth of the renewable energy industry”.
Concerns raised by stakeholders included bushfire risks and weed control during construction.
The development application covers management plans for these issues as well as heritage and environmental issues.
The line would follow the route of the existing line, going through territory where four vulnerable or endangered species may occur – the sandhill dunnart, mallee fowl, southern emu wren and fairy tern — and some significant native bushland.
ElectraNet is referring the project for approval by the South Australian Native Vegetation Council and the Commonwealth under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The 270km long high-voltage 275/132 kilovolt line from Cultana near Whyalla to Port Lincoln would go through 207 properties with 540 pylons to be erected.
Two worker camps would be built, one northwest of Cowell and one northwest of Tumby Bay.
The route goes through six reserves including the Whyalla Conservation Park, Ironstone Hill Conservation Park and Hincks Wilderness Area.
It has been given a green light by the Australian Energy Regulator.
ElectraNet chief executive Steve Masters said there would be a negligible impact of about 10c a year on SA electricity bills.
“The cost of the new transmission line is fully offset by avoiding the cost of replacement works on the existing transmission line and annual generator network support payments, resulting in almost no price impact for a typical residential customer,” he said.
ElectraNet is currently negotiating with potential contractors to finalise costs.
An ElectraNet spokesman said the new line would be a double circuit and more reliable than the existing single circuit.
“If there is an issue on one line, the other can continue to supply power,” he said.
“(However), as is the case with any transmission line, no matter its age, there can be significant events such as a bushfire or major storm that could impact power supply.”
Public comments to SCAP are due by January 24.
ElectraNet aims to begin construction late this year, with an 18-month work program.