Farmers’ suggestion for shorter route for transmission lines that would save $620 million refused by renewable energy giant

Angry landholders say they are being “bulldozed” by public owned EnergyCo after it rejected a shorter route for renewable energy transmission lines on public land that would save $620 million.

Angry landholders say they are being “bulldozed” by public owned EnergyCo after it rejected a shorter route for renewable energy transmission lines on public land that would save $620 million.

The members of the Valley Alliance in New England fear their experience with state-owned EnergyCo will be repeated across all five Renewable Energy Zones in NSW.

Alliance chairman Tim White, whose farm near Dungowan will be crossed by two high voltage power lines, said there had “been absolutely no consultation” before the route of the power lines was announced.

Instead the 260 members of the Alliance have suggested running the 75 metre tall pylons carrying the two high voltage cables along the old Aberbaldie Stock Route.

“It is already state owned, so no compulsory purchase, it is 45km shorter and based on the Hume Link cost of $14 million a km, would ultimately save electricity customers $620 million,” he said.

But on Friday EnergyCo rejected the proposed stock route with a spokesman saying it affected more homes, would be 40 km longer than its original route and would cost 20 per cent more.

Mr White dismissed EnergyCo’s response as “lip service” and vowed to continue fighting the energy behemoth with more than 100 written objections already in the mail to Planning Minister Paul Scully.

Farmer Tim White with sheep on his farm near Tamworth. He says putting up transmission lines will disrupt lambing.

“The man investigating the route drove half of it and then went the wrong way,” Mr White said. “He then left for the UK to get married. Despite not having covered the route they still put out a report dismissing it.

“This is exactly what we expect from EnergyCo, they are not listening to us and just bulldozing their way forward,” he said.

“This is a NSW problem – this is being repeated right across the state,” Mr White said.

There are five Renewable Energy Zones across the east coast of NSW with almost one million people affected by wind and solar farms and energy cables carrying the power they generate.

So far the Central West Orana REZ around Dubbo has seen its 200km of transmission lines given the go-ahead despite community opposition.

Farmer Tim White with sheep on his farm near Tamworth. He says putting up transmission lines will disrupt lambing.

Nationals leader and Dubbo MP Dugland Saunders said estimates for the energy generating capacity of the new REZ were dramatically overstated.

“The rapid growth of renewables across NSW is spelling disaster for our regional communities that are feeling less than positive about the rollout so far.

“I have seen this in my own patch with the Central-West Orana REZ. It is already completely overblown and is causing a lot of angst for residents who will have to cop more and more projects in their backyard,” he said.

The EnergyCo spokesman said the alternate stock route had been driven by five different EnergyCo staff including the New England REZ Project Director to assess the Alliance’s proposal.

“EnergyCo recognises that this is a difficult process for affected landowners and is committed to ongoing engagement as we continue to refine the alignment within the corridor,” he said.

Originally published as Farmers’ suggestion for shorter route for transmission lines that would save $620 million refused by renewable energy giant