Landholders face deadline as standoff with TasNetworks over power line payments intensifies

TasNetworks faces mounting resistance to its transmission project as landholders prepare for a legal showdown, while officials stay silent on holdout numbers. The latest:

Space NEM. Overview of the Marinus Link project. Picture: Marinus Link

TasNetworks has not disclosed how many landholders are yet to sign its Strategic Benefit Payment (SBP) for the North West Transmission Developments (NWTD), as the utility urges remaining landholders to contact their agents before the December 1 deadline.

NWTD executive project director Richie Sheather said the focus was on “continuing good faith negotiations with remaining landholders in the coming weeks to ensure they receive the maximum financial benefit available from this generational project”.

In state parliament this week, independent Braddon MP Craig Garland asked Energy Minister Nick Duigan how many landholders had not signed up and whether their right to say no would be respected.

Independent MP for Braddon Craig Garland speaks to the media at the site of the proposed Marinus Link interconnector. Picture: Elise Kaine

Mr Duigan did not provide a figure. Mr Garland said media reports had suggested the number could be more than 60, or about a quarter of affected landholders, and criticised the lack of a clear answer.

“This is the third time he has refused to answer,” he said.

Mr Sheather did not give a number of remaining landholders either, but said “most” had indicated they were in the process of signing and returning documentation.

He said landholders who wanted the SBP needed to meet the December 1 cut‑off and sign an easement agreement or they would miss out.

After that date, TasNetworks says landholders would remain eligible for independently assessed compensation, but the SBP would lapse.

The SBP was first offered on 5 June and pays affected landholders $200,000 per kilometre annually, over 20 years.

North West Transmission Developments indicative Stage 1 Construction.

TasNetworks says that, as an essential service provider, it has statutory easement rights over parts of affected properties and plans to start building the NWTD early next year, with construction planning “underway”.

“It’s our duty to build this project on‑time and on‑budget,” Mr Sheather said.

“It’s our duty to build NWTD for Tasmanians who want the lowest possible future prices, want strong climate action, want numerous clean energy careers, and want enough clean electricity for Tasmania and Australia’s future.”

Mr Garland argued “Tasmanians are being asked to carry all the risks and all the costs of infrastructure designed to export electricity interstate”.

Heybridge converter station illustration. Overview of the Marinus Link project. Picture: Marinus Link

He called on the government to state how many landholders had not agreed to the proposed transmission, to respect private landholders’ rights, and to abandon the proposed NWTD route.

More than 30 landholders have signed a joint letter stating they will not sign the benefits scheme and will not allow government access to their land.

They are due to meet legal representatives on the North West Coast on Saturday to discuss their options.

Originally published as Landholders face deadline as standoff with TasNetworks over power line payments intensifies