A proposed upgrade of the electricity transmission network supplying the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions is being deferred by the Queensland Government-owned corporation, Powerlink, until 2019.

 

Acting Energy Minister Phil Reeves said as part of its annual network planning process, Powerlink Queensland had identified temporary change to the power flows into South East Queensland.

 

As a result the proposed Woolooga to Eerwah Vale Transmission Line and Eerwah Vale Substation Project is being deferred by around five years.

Powerlink is currently consulting with landowners and other key stakeholders directly affected by the proposed Woolooga to Eerwah Vale project to discuss what the deferral means.

Powerlink Chief Executive, Gordon Jardine said the temporary change in power flows was a direct result of the recently-announced liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in the Surat Basin area of South West Queensland.

“I’m sure that we’ve all seen the news about the rapid emergence of LNG projects in the Surat Basin. What people may not know is that during their start-up phase, while export plants and pipelines are being constructed, the initial ‘ramp up’ gas produced by these projects is being sold to, and used by, power stations in South West Queensland,” he said.

“This has the effect of significantly increasing the power flows into the major demand centre of South East Queensland from the Surat Basin.

“As a result, during this ‘ramp up’ period, less power than usual is needed to flow down from Central Queensland through the Sunshine Coast region and into South East Queensland.”

Mr Jardine said this temporary change to power flows would delay the overloads originally forecast for the electricity network supplying the northern Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions, which are located within the major flow path between Central Queensland and South East Queensland.

“Powerlink’s existing 275kV transmission lines in the Woolooga-Palmwoods area of the Sunshine Coast play a crucial role in transporting electricity from Central Queensland to South East Queensland. Increasing electricity demands from steady population growth and the ongoing uptake of air-conditioning meant that an upgrade to the network supplying the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions had previously been forecast to be required by 2014 to ensure a reliable supply was maintained.

“This triggered the need for Powerlink’s proposed Woolooga to Eerwah Vale Transmission Line and Eerwah Substation Project for which Powerlink has been consulting with the community in recent years. However, given the recent temporary yet material reduction in the amount of power flowing through the Sunshine Coast while the new LNG projects are under development, the need to upgrade the network has been deferred by five years until 2019,” Mr Jardine said.

Mr Jardine said deferring the project would require the corridor and substation site selection process to be ‘redone’ in about five year’s time. This involves the assessment of a broad range of route options, including the prevailing environmental, social and economic conditions, and the legislative framework, at that point in time. All work undertaken to date on the project had been carried out in accordance with its Government-approved process under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009

“I would like to thank and acknowledge all those who have contributed information to the project over the past four years during the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Although this latest development is due to factors outside of Powerlink’s control, we apologise for any impact that results from this change in timing,” Mr Jardine said.