New Ingham to Tully Power Line Project
Ingham to Tully Transmission Line Project
PROJECT NEWSLETTER 4
JULY 2010
Key points
• The existing 132kV transmission line between Powerlink’s Ingham and Tully Substations is more than 50 years old and requires replacement to ensure the reliable supply of high voltage electricity continues to be maintained into the future to Far North Queensland, including the Ingham, Cardwell and Tully areas.
• The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project has been completed following input from the community and other stakeholders. The Final EIS identifies potential environmental, community or economic impacts of the project, and measures to mitigate/manage these impacts (see page 2).
• Powerlink will now begin the next stages of the project, which involves applying for Ministerial designation as ‘community infrastructure’ under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and resuming the necessary easements in accordance with the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 (see page 2).
• Powerlink is committed to paying fair compensation to landowners when we acquire new easements over properties to properly reflect the impact of these easements and our associated works on the properties (see page 4).
This newsletter provides information to landowners and the community about the replacement of the existing transmission line between Powerlink Queensland’s Ingham and Tully Substations to ensure continued reliability of high voltage electricity supply to Far North Queensland.
CONTENTS
Final EIS available 2
The next steps – designation and resumption 2
Future construction activities 3
Project timetable 4
Frequently asked questions 4
About the project
The existing 132kV transmission line between Ingham and Tully is now more than 50 years old and will soon need to be replaced to ensure a secure and reliable high voltage electricity supply is maintained to the Ingham, Cardwell and Tully areas into the future. As a result, Powerlink is proposing to construct a replacement 275/132kV transmission line. The project is the final stage in Powerlink’s $480 million-plus commitment to upgrade the coastal transmission network in North and Far North Queensland.
The final alignment for the transmission line identified in the Final EIS confirms that about 70 per cent of the route for the replacement line will be the same as or adjacent to the existing transmission line. The remaining 30 per cent of the line will need to deviate from the existing line due to various factors including changes in land use and developments that have occurred close to the existing line, and to reduce the environmental impact of the replacement line.
The replacement line will be constructed using steel lattice towers, two thirds of which are expected to be between 40 and 55 metres in height. Some taller towers, up to around 70 metres in height, will be used in more environmentally sensitive areas where vegetation needs to be protected. The use of taller towers will also improve safety clearances for farming operations, and will allow an increase in the distance between towers so there will be fewer towers (approximately 20 per cent less) on the replacement line.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: FREECALL 1800 635 369 | www.powerlink.com.au
Final EIS available
Specialist environmental consultant RPS (formerly Natural Solutions) has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project and prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) report.
The Final EIS identifies any potential environmental, community, and economic impacts of the replacement transmission line. The Final EIS also includes the Final Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which documents the actions we will take to manage any of these impacts that might result from the design, construction or operation of the line.
Community and stakeholder consultation was an important part of the process to prepare the Final EIS, and Powerlink thanks landowners and other stakeholders for their involvement in this consultation process. TheDraft EIS was released for public comment during May/June 2010 and three submissions on the draft document were received. These submissions focussed on matters such as consultation, impacts from bushfires and floods,and the line’s vicinity to nearby railways and highways. Full details of the submissions received on the Draft EIS and the responses provided to submitters can be found in the Final EIS report, which is available on Powerlink’s website (www.powerlink.com.au – go to ‘Projects in my area/Northern’), or by telephoning Powerlink onFreecall 1800 635 369 (business hours).
Working with the Commonwealth
During the environmental investigations undertaken for the project, some species and potential habitat for species listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 were identified.
Following Powerlink’s referral of the project to the Commonwealth Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts (DEHWA), the project was deemed to be a ‘controlled action’. This means that the project requires the Federal Government’s consent to proceed.
Powerlink will shortly be commencing a separate public consultation process, the results of which will be submitted to DEHWA when seeking final approval for the project. This consultation is separate and in addition to the standard EIA processes being undertaken for the project.
The next steps – designation and resumption
In addition to the Commonwealth process, there are two separate State legislative processes that Powerlinkis required to undertake after completing the EIS and before constructing the replacement transmission line:
• The designation of the land for community infrastructure; and
• The resumption of easements for the replacement transmission line.
While these two processes are separate and have different purposes, they will occur at around the same timefor this project.
Designation is about planning – it is a planning approval process in which Powerlink seeks the approval of a State Government Minister to identify land for ‘community infrastructure’, such as a new or replacement transmission line, under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.
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INGHAM TO TULLY PROJECT NEWSLETTER • JULY 2010
Powerlink will soon be contacting all landowners who will potentially have an easement on their land advising them of our intention to seek designation of the easement area (issuing ‘Notices of Proposed Designation’). Landowners and any other stakeholders will have an opportunity to make submissions on our proposal, and any submissions received and the responses provided to submitters will be passed on to the Minister responsible for the designation. An advertisement advising Powerlink’s intention to seek designation will appear in local newspapers.
We expect to issue our notices of intention to seek Ministerial designation in mid July 2010.
Resumption is an easement acquisition process which allows some or all of another person’s land to be acquired for electrical works under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967. While ownership remains with the landowner, an easement provides Powerlink with a number of legal rights for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining electricity works, and also places some restrictions on what the landowner may do on the easement (mainly for safety reasons).
The resumption process begins when Powerlink issues ‘Notices of Intention to Resume’ to landowners. When these notices are issued, more information for landowners about the resumption process, including consultation opportunities and timeframes, will be provided.
As outlined in the Final EIS, Powerlink intends to resume 60 metre wide easements for the entire length of the Ingham to Tully replacement transmission line. Where the replacement line is being constructed on the same alignment as the existing line, new wider easements will be resumed over the top of the existing 20 metre easements which will be surrendered once the new easements have been acquired and the existing line removed. Where the replacement line deviates from the existing line and new 60 metre easements are needed, these will also be acquired.
All landowners who have easements resumed over their property for the replacement transmission line are entitled to compensation for the easement in accordance with the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.
We expect to issue our notices of intention to resume for easements in late July 2010.
Future construction activities
Once the designation and resumption processes have been completed, Powerlink will begin construction of the replacement transmission line. Construction will occur in two stages: Ingham to Cardwell first, followed by Cardwell to Tully. This two-stage approach is necessary for the continued reliable supply of high voltage electricity to Cardwell during the works.
We will contact affected landowners before construction begins to determine any property-specific arrangements that need to be made and provide information regarding the timing of works.
Construction activities are not expected to commence until the second quarter of 2011 for Ingham to Cardwell, and the third quarter of 2012 for Cardwell to Tully.
Project commissioning is due to be completed between Ingham and Cardwell by Summer 2012/13, and Cardwell to Tully by Summer 2013/14.
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INGHAM TO TULLY PROJECT NEWSLETTER • JULY 2010
Frequently asked questions
What about compensation for this project?
In accordance with the Acquisition of Land Act 1967, compensation will be paid to all landowners affected by widened or new easements for the project. Compensation is negotiated between Powerlink and the landowner (or their nominated representative) and takes into account a range of factors, including:
• The market value of the land over which the easement is taken
• Reduced property value due to restricted use of the land within the easement and possible visual impacts of the transmission line
• The number of transmission line structures that will be located on the property
• The potential impact of the line on farm management practices
• Any loss of commercial or potentially commercial timber.
