Going underground. That is one way to break the gridlock holding up a crucial 360-kilometre transmission line connecting Snowy 2.0 to the NSW power network, according to landholders in its path holding it to ransom because of fire, environmental and biodiversity risks.

The landowners tirelessly pushed TransGrid, the network operator, to put the hotly contested HumeLink transmission project – one of several critical to getting the clean energy transition back on track – underground.