HumeLink transmission project has been approved by the Minns Labor Government, making it one of the largest transmission projects to be approved in the state's history. The approval means it can now proceed to the Commonwealth Government for final approval.
The $4.8 billion project will provide a 365km renewable energy infrastructure spine across southern NSW and directly support the delivery of more clean and affordable energy to NSW homes and businesses.
In a major boost for regional NSW, HumeLink will create 1,600 construction jobs and is expected to drive $6.3 billion of direct and indirect investment into the regional economy.
Once the project is connected to the network, it will unlock the Snowy Hydro Scheme expansion project, Snowy 2.0, and provide an additional 2,200 megawatts of on-demand energy into the grid.
This transmission infrastructure is critical to NSW Labor's Energy Plan to deliver cleaner, more affordable energy to the grid while creating thousands of jobs and boosting regional economies.
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), with advice from the relevant agencies, carefully assessed the proposal, making sure the proponent Transgrid responded to the range of issues raised in public submissions. Among the conditions of approval are:
- Visual Impact - The proponent is required to work with specific landowners to implement appropriate visual impact mitigation measures, such as landscaping or vegetation screening.
- Biodiversity -
- DPHI has included strict conditions to limit impacts on biodiversity and to minimise clearing as part of the project's detailed design. They must also develop a Biodiversity Management Plan prior to carrying out any development.
- The proponent is required to offset the biodiversity impacts of the project and must develop a Biodiversity Offset Package in consultation with the Biodiversity, Conservation and Science Directorate and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust prior to carrying out any development that could impact biodiversity values. In addition, the proponent is required to provide a $502.3 million bank guarantee as a security to make sure offsets are implemented.
- Transport - The proponent is required to undertake all necessary road upgrades to the satisfaction of the relevant road authority. It will be required to monitor the impact to local roads throughout construction, repair any damage resulting from construction traffic, and prepare a traffic management plan.
- Rehabilitation - The proponent is required to progressively rehabilitate the project, including removing construction infrastructure, facilitate regeneration and restoring rural land capability.
- Bushfire - The proponent is required to comply with the Rural Fire Service Planning for Bushfire Protection 2019 and relevant Australian Standards and must also prepare an emergency plan.
- Hours of operation - Standard construction hours will apply to the project, with set exceptions for specific activities. The proponent is required to develop a protocol for out of hours work.
- Noise - The proponent is required to implement noise mitigation measures during construction and prepare a noise management plan. This plan may include the timing of activities, use of equipment and consultation with impacted residents before undertaking louder work. The proponent is also required to verify any operational noise.
- Undergrounding - following two parliamentary inquiries into the feasibility of undergrounding transmission infrastructure for renewable energy projects, it was found that undergrounding would be significantly more expensive than what current regulatory frameworks allow for consumers to pay in transmission project costs. As a result, the project has been designed to reduce potential impacts as much as possible. This will be achieved by locating the majority of the new transmission lines within the existing transmission line corridors.
Following Commonwealth Government approval construction is expected to commence in late 2024 and be completed around 2027.
