$5bn for Queensland renewables hub transmission line
The Palaszczuk government will spend $5bn to build a 1100km electricity transmission line to connect Queensland’s resource-rich northwest minerals province to the national electricity grid.
The Palaszczuk government will spend $5bn to build an 1100km electricity transmission line to connect Queensland’s resource-rich northwest minerals province to the national electricity grid.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will visit Townsville on Tuesday to announce the government’s intent to acquire, finance and build the previously private CopperString 2.0 project.
Construction of the high voltage transmission line from Townsville in the east to Mount Isa in the west is expected to start next year.
It will connect new renewable projects in northwestern Queensland to the energy market while also connecting with existing and future mining projects in the north west minerals province.
“CopperString is the most significant investment in economic infrastructure in North Queensland in generations,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Unlocking affordable renewable energy and our critical minerals will benefit Townsville, Mount Isa and every town in between – unlocking thousands of jobs and billions in investment.
“Townsville will become a renewable manufacturing epicentre between the world and the largest renewable energy zone in the nation and the world class north west minerals province.”
Expansion of the northwest minerals province is the Palaszczuk government’s answer to building a new economy for the mining state while transitioning away from coal production.
The CopperString announcement comes after the government last month purchased a site to build a $75m demonstration plant in Townsville where emerging miners can work on new technologies to process critical minerals like vanadium, a key component of large-scale batteries.
Some of the critical minerals needed to create future renewable energy infrastructure around the world, including vanadium, zinc, iron, cobalt and nickel, are expected to face demand increases of up to 500 per cent by 2050.
Mount Isa last week celebrated 100 years since the region’s vast deposits were discovered by prospectors.
“Our Queensland SuperGrid, the nation’s largest, allows Queensland to produce, use and export the next era of high value extracted minerals – through the renewable energy that the world is craving, we’ll create literally tens of thousands of well paid jobs for generations to come,” Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said
“Building this transmission line opens up 6000 megawatts of potential renewable energy in the North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone, creating more jobs than our state has ever seen in a new, decarbonised resources sector stretching from Townsville to Mt Isa – and they’re starting right now, with early works packages to be rolled out almost immediately.”
The government’s takeover of the private project will come as a surprise to some after the proponents previously stated they had the finance needed to build the transmission line but needed help from the state and federal governments with obtaining approvals. But the Palaszczuk government made it clear it wanted to manage the state’s energy transmission through public ownership.
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