Woolooga Solar Farm at centre of shock safety, non-payment allegations

A massive renewable project near Gympie has been hit by claims of a major safety concern and non-payment of millions owed to subcontractors.

Shock allegations of a major safety concern involving a high voltage electrical wire and millions of dollars in money owed to subcontractors have rocked a major renewable energy project west of Gympie.

The Gympie Times has spoken with multiple sources concerning the claims about the 500ha Woolooga Solar Farm build, a project believed to cost more than $130m.

The claims included that the exact location of a live 33,000 volt underground electrical cable connected to the nearby Woolooga substation had not been correctly registered by PCL Construction with Before You Dig Australia.

BYDA is a referral service for excavators to check on the location of underground infrastructure before cutting into the ground.

PCL Construction has been engaged by developer Lightsource BP on the project.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Lightsource BP.

Shock claims of a major safety risk involving an underground high voltage electrical wire and non-payment of millions of dollars to subbies have rocked the $130m Woolooga Solar Farm development west of Gympie.

The cable is understood to run under the Gympie Woolooga Rd, and The Gympie Times has been informed the connection has been live for several months now.

The concerns about the cable’s location have arisen amid reports subcontractors working at the Woolooga project, and at a solar development at West Wyalong in NSW, were owed millions of dollars by PCL Construction.

PCL Construction had not responded to requests for comment by time of publication.

Gympie LNP MP Tony Perrett said he had contacted the State Government regarding the wire.

In a letter to Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace on Tuesday, Mr Perrett said it would be “catastrophic” if someone hit the wire while excavating and asked why power had not been switched off to the wire until the issue was resolved.

A spokesman for the State Government’s Office of Industrial Relations said the claim was being looked into.

Stakes have been erected in an effort to outline the location of an underground high voltage electrical wire at the Woolooga Solar Farm amid claims it was connected to a nearby substation despite not being fully registered with the authorities.

“The Electrical Safety Office is aware of this matter and inquires with the relevant parties are ongoing,” he said.

A spokesman for the solar farm developer, Lightsource BP, said work was underway to rectify issues around the underground wire.

“Lightsource BP has submitted survey data on the underground cable to Before You Dig Australia, and is working closely with its contractors to finalise the registration process,” the spokesman said.

“In the meantime, the underground cable route has been sectioned off and is under 24-hour monitoring until the registration has been completed.

“Lightsource BP treats health and safety with the highest importance, and has implemented steps with its contractors to ensure safety standards are maintained with a consistent and proactive approach.”