Final Corridor and Site Selection Report

A key component of project planning is the Corridor and Site Selection Report

Powerlink released the Draft Corridor and Site Selection Report in September 2024 for an eight-week comment period.

We appreciated the opportunity to hear feedback and gain insights on the recommended corridor. The main areas of feedback received included:

• flooding impacts in relation to the new substation location
• increased cyclone resilience with undergrounding a section of the transmission line
• construction timings and impacts
• future use of the easement along the existing Redlynch to Woree section
• impact to trees along the underground cable corridor.

This final report outlines the work undertaken to identify the final corridor for both the replacement overhead transmission line and underground cable, and a final site for the new substation. Where appropriate, feedback has been used to inform the final corridor and site selection.

The Kamerunga to Woree 132 kilovolt (kV) transmission line provides the critical service of connecting the Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station to the transmission network and supplying power to northern Cairns.

This line has been in operation since the 1960s, and a replacement line will need to be constructed.

Powerlink standards require an easement for an overhead 132kV transmission line to be around 30 to 40 metres wide. When the Kamerunga to Woree line was built, industry standards at the time required the easement to be 20m wide. As standards evolve over time, we now require a wider easement to enable the continued safe, secure and reliable operation of the transmission line.To ensure continuous electricity supply to the area, we must maintain the existing line while constructing a new replacement transmission line. Where possible, we have positioned the recommended corridor for the new infrastructure adjacent to the existing line.

There has been significant residential development adjacent to the line between Redlynch to Woree meaning that we are unable to widen the existing easement through this area. Therefore, the decision has been made to underground this component of the line along a new corridor.

New substation in Barron

The existing Kamerunga Substation, located in Caravonica, is nearing the end of its technical service life.

The recommended substation replacement site is a Powerlink-owned parcel of land off Cairns West Arterial Road, approximately 600m from the existing substation location. The parcel of land was purchased in 2021 to account for anticipated future transmission network requirements.

New transmission line

Kamerunga to Redlynch – overhead line

The existing Kamerunga Substation connects the Barron Gorge to Cairns transmission line from the Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station to the existing Kamerunga to Woree line.

The proposed overhead transmission corridor will include a connection to the Barron Gorge to Cairns line from a point at the existing Kamerunga Substation site to the new substation in Barron. The corridor will then proceed to the Redlynch masterplan area.

The new corridor is directly adjacent to and east of the existing line and is mainly located on primary industry and industrial land, as well as State and Local Government owned land.

Redlynch to Woree – underground cable

Significant residential development since the overhead transmission line was first established has meant the construction of a new overhead line from Redlynch to the Woree Substation is not feasible. Alternative overhead line routes would also pose significant impacts to residential areas.

As a result, Powerlink is proposing to transition from an overhead transmission line via a transition point at Redlynch to a 10.4km underground cable to Woree Substation.

The underground cable will follow a different corridor to the existing overhead line and will be largely located in Council and State-owned roads. No residential land or easements on private property will be required to construct the underground cable.

From Redlynch, the proposed underground corridor will run under Freshwater Creek and through Goomboora Park before continuing through roads, footpaths and verges to the Woree Substation.

Powerlink will submit a request to the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) to provide planning approvals for delivery of the new substation and transmission line as a single program of works.

A MID can be used to deliver certain types of community-supporting infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, police/ambulance/fire stations, sporting facilities, power lines, water supply infrastructure and sewerage treatment plants.

The process of identifying the transmission corridor requires consideration of multiple social, economic and environmental factors including:

• Tenue and zoning
• Future land use
• Environment
• Heritage values
• Economic
• Traffic and community impacts
• Existing infrastructure
• Hydrology
• Network reliability

September – October 2024: Preliminary engagement

In September Powerlink distributed more than 2000 project introduction newsletters to community members along the proposed corridor as well as to landholders along our existing easement between Kamerunga to Woree.

We ran several community information drop-in sessions in October 2024, in Kamerunga, Redlynch, Earlville and Brinsmead to seek feedback from landholders, Traditional Owner groups, the community and other key stakeholders on the project’s Draft Corridor and Site Selection Report

Additional technical investigations

Following release of the Final Corridor and Site Selection Report, additional detailed technical studies and continued engagement will help to determine the final transmission line design within the corridor. These will include:

• social and economic impact assessment
• environment, heritage and planning review
• economic assessment
• land, geology and soils testing.

Ministerial Infrastructure Designation lodgement

Powerlink is preparing the necessary documentation and reporting to support our MID application lodgement.

This is expected to be lodged in mid-2025

Geotechnical investigations

Geotechnical investigations were originally planned for Q3/ Q4 2025, however they will now be delivered in 2026. This revised timeframe will support the delivery of any additional planning and design work required prior to construction commencing in 2027

Targeted engagement with nearby residents and community members along the planned works areas will be carried out before activities commence.

Powerlink will continue to engage with landholders, Traditional Owners and the wider community during the planning and delivery of the project through:

• letterbox drops to properties in the project area
• project newsletters
• door-knocking impacted residents
• website updates
• social media posts

Key community engagement milestones during the planning and approvals process are:

• prior to and during geotechnical investigations
• MID statutory engagement*
• invitation for contractors to tender for project construction delivery
• Ministerial decision on the MID request*

* Timings subject to change depending on Ministerial advice