After considering landowner and community feedback, TasNetworks has today announced the preferred route for a proposed new transmission line from Staverton to Hampshire Hills in North West Tasmania.
The preferred route seeks to balance a range of objectives and reduce impacts, on landowners, local communities, and the environment.
TasNetworks CEO Lance Balcombe said the company has listened to the concerns of landowners, businesses and the community and has made variations to the initial proposed route for the proposed new Staverton to Hampshire Hills transmission line development.
“The preferred route now traverses more kilometres of commercial forestry land than the initial proposed route that TasNetworks consulted on in late 2019 and early 2020.
“This means less impact on directly affected small private landowners with the overwhelming proportion of the preferred route passing through commercial forestry estates and Crown Land,” Mr Balcombe said.
Mr Balcombe said the proposed new transmission development, which would be part of TasNetworks’ shared network in the future, is required in order to unlock Tasmania’s abundant renewable energy and storage resources, and provide further electricity and telecommunications connection with mainland Australia.
“The development would also be part of supporting the significant jobs, skills and investment opportunity in Tasmania from the development of Marinus Link, the Battery of the Nation pumped hydro and the state’s world class wind resources.
“Together these renewable energy projects will create thousands of jobs, many of which will be in North West Tasmania,” Mr Balcombe said.
TasNetworks recently welcomed the release of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) 2020 Integrated System Plan (ISP), which confirms Marinus Link and the supporting transmission developments in North West Tasmania as critical to support a rapidly transforming National Electricity Market (NEM).
This work on the Staverton to Hampshire Hills route forms part of the critical early works required to progress the proposed North West Tasmania transmission developments, which are needed to support Marinus Link and the implementation of TasNetworks’ strategic transmission plan for North West Tasmania.
“These projects will deliver low-cost, reliable and clean energy for Tasmania and the broader National Electricity Market, as part of Australia’s energy transition.
“We are listening to community and landowner feedback and remain committed to communicating in a transparent, respectful, and timely manner in context of COVID-19, and to working with the community to realise the benefits this project can bring,” Mr Balcombe said.
The final route and location of supporting infrastructure will be further defined as the design and approvals process progresses, and is considered for approval under relevant Commonwealth and State environmental, land use planning and cultural heritage assessment frameworks.
The Tasmanian Government received $56 million from the Australian Government to progress with this work, with TasNetworks leading the delivery of Project Marinus.
More information on Marinus Link and the North West Transmission Developments can be found here.
ENDS
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