Cairns electricity: Work starts to maintain critical transmission line at Barron Gorge Power Station

Challenging work has started on a steep Far North Queensland mountainside to maintain the critical transmission line that brings power from Barron Gorge Power Station to the Cairns region.

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WORK has started to maintain the critical transmission line that brings power from Barron Gorge Power Station to the Cairns region.

Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the $3.75 million project aimed to inspect and strengthen a 4km stretch of transmission towers perched in steep terrain in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

The 18 towers run between Barron Gorge and Kamerunga, adjacent to the Kuranda Scenic Railway line.

“This is essential, but challenging, maintenance on the most northern point of the transmission network that stretches 1700 kilometres across Queensland,” he said.

“Some of these 50-year-old towers are on a 37-degree incline, with a 3m difference in the height of legs on one of the towers, so it presents some special challenges.”

Member for Barron River and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Craig Crawford said the project would support nine jobs and had already started with detailed inspections of the towers that would run into early next year.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford. Picture: David Anthony

“On-ground works are scheduled to begin in mid-2019 after the wet season and, weather permitting, Powerlink expects the project to be completed by late 2019,” he said.

“These towers have been operating in a highly corrosive tropical environment and it’s essential they are effectively maintained to ensure ongoing network reliability, particularly given the cyclone prone nature of this area.

“This project is a cost-effective investment to strengthen Far North Queensland’s transmission network.”

Powerlink Chief Executive Merryn York said the project would extend the life of the line by around 15 years.

Originally published as Cairns electricity: Work starts to maintain critical transmission line at Barron Gorge Power Station