Sun Cable wants the $20bn facility for its ASEAN Power Link Project to be built at Murrumujuk, near Gunn Point

Sun Cable, the proponent of the NT’s $20bn solar farm and battery storage project, has declared new plans to relocate its Darwin converter site and cable transition facilities elsewhere.

SUN Cable, the proponents of a $20bn solar farm and ­battery storage project near ­Elliott in the Barkly region, has abandoned plans to have its Darwin converter site and cable transition facilities at Middle Arm Peninsula in ­Darwin Harbour.

The renewable energy company wants the facility for its ASEAN Power Link (AAPowerLink) Project to be built at Murrumujuk, near Gunn Point.

A Notice of Significant Variation has been lodged with the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA).

An overhead transmission line from Sun Cable’s solar farm in the Barkly will now leave the rail corridor near Livingstone, south of Noonamah, and travel 66km to Murrumujuk along a Northern Territory government utilities corridor.

The subsea cable system will extend from the cable transition facilities at Murrumujuk, through outer Shoal Bay and the Timor Sea, before connecting with the originally proposed route to Singapore.

The changes are being ­proposed in order to avoid land use conflicts and subsea ­congestion at Middle Arm ­associated with proposed ­developments and precinct master planning.

Sun Cable says in addition, the changes reduce impacts to mangrove, tidal and marine plants and animals and harbour users. It says no permanent disruption to beach access and recreational activities on Gunn Point Beach is envisaged. The project to be assessed by an environmental-impact statement includes:

●A 12,000ha solar farm and battery storage facility at ­Powell Creek, near Elliott.

● 800km of overhead high-voltage transmission line to Murrumujuk.

● A 55ha converter station on a 124ha site next to the proposed Sea Farms hatchery at Murrumujuk, on Crown land zoned for future development.

● A land-sea joint station and subsea cable system through outer Shoal Bay and the Timor Sea.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has reaffirmed his ­belief in the project saying that it would inject $8bn into the Australian economy, with most of it being spent in the NT.

“Territorians are already seeing the benefits of this investment, with Sun Cable hiring more than a dozen Darwin firms for initial works,” he said.

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Sun Cable will build a giant multimillion dollar Maverick solar array assembly facility at East Arm.

The facility, over three parcels of Land Corporation land, has a combined site area of 38,824.75sq m.

Sun Cable Manufacturing Pty Ltd has entered into an agreement to lease and subsequently purchase the three sites within the Darwin ­Business Park from the Land Corporation.

The Sun Cable project has been forecast to generate 1000 jobs at the East Arm assembly facility.