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Ingham to Tully
Transmission Line Project
PROJECT NEWSLETTER 5
APRIL 2012
This newsletter provides information
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.
About the project
The existing 132 kilovolt (kV)
transmission line between
Powerlink’s Ingham and Tully
Substations is more than
50 years old and requires
replacement to ensure the
continued reliable supply of
high voltage electricity to Far
North Queensland, including
the Ingham, Cardwell and
Tully areas.
As a result, Powerlink is
constructing a replacement
275/132kV transmission line.
This project is the final stage
in Powerlink’s $480 millionplus commitment to upgrade
the coastal transmission
network in North and Far
North Queensland.
Key points
Activities to prepare for the start of construction of the replacement
powerline between Ingham and Tully have commenced. This includes
establishing access tracks where necessary, weed management on the
easement, pegging of tower locations and selective vegetation removal
at tower sites.
• A
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared in July
2010, following comprehensive technical studies and input from the
community and other stakeholders.
• P
lanning approval for the new transmission line was provided
through Ministerial designation in November 2011 and easements
for the project have also been acquired.
• C
ommonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999
(EPBC) approval has also been provided. To meet EPBC conditions,
Powerlink has prepared a Mahogany Glider Management Plan,
Mahogany Glider Offsets Strategy and a Vegetation Management Plan.
• C
onstruction of stage one (Cardwell to Tully) has begun and will
continue until late 2012. Construction of stage two (Ingham to
Cardwell) is expected to start in mid 2012 and continue until late 2013.
• D
epending on the wet season, there may be a break in construction
from December 2012–April 2013.
Construction process
Powerlink will construct the replacement transmission line in two stages:
Cardwell to Tully, then Ingham to Cardwell. This two-stage approach
will allow one line to be kept in service at all times to maintain a reliable
supply of high voltage electricity to Cardwell.
The replacement line will be constructed using steel lattice towers, most
of which (approximately two thirds) 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. These taller towers
will be used in specific areas where the taller towers will allow conductors
to be strung over the vegetation.
The use of taller towers will also mean that we can increase the distance
between towers so there will be fewer towers (approximately 20 per
cent less) on the replacement line. Our project management team and
inspectors will provide more specific information in advance to each
landowner regarding construction activities on their property.
Building for the future
FOR MORE INFORMATION: FREECALL 1800 635 369 | www.powerlink.com.au
Construction phasing
Phase 1 – Vegetation management, weed control,
access track installation and tower pegging
Where necessary, access tracks will be constructed
and gates will be installed in existing fences. Weed
control measures will be undertaken on easements
and access tracks.
Surveyors have commenced final pegging of tower
locations, marking the site with painted stakes.
Any necessary vegetation will be removed or trimmed
from around the tower sites. The cleared area
required at most tower sites will be about 40 metres
x 40 metres, which will allow for room to excavate
foundations and construct and assemble the towers.
Phase 2 – Earthworks and preparing tower foundations
Tower foundations will be installed using an excavator
and/or a boring machine. Excavated material will
generally be spread around the tower site.
Concrete trucks will require access to all tower sites to
bring in the concrete required for each tower foundation.
Phase 3 – Erecting towers
Steel for the towers is supplied to each location in
bundles and assembled into tower sections on-site.
These sections are then lifted by an all-terrain crane
to form the completed tower.
Phase 4 – Stringing wires/conductors
Initially, a helicopter is used to string a draw wire
through rollers attached to the tower arms. Using
a helicopter helps minimise the impact on land use,
the environment and traffic. Winches are then used
to pull the aluminium conductors (wires) through
the rollers. Once the conductors are drawn through,
work crews will use insulators and special fittings to
clamp the conductors onto each tower.
Phase 5 – Inspection and completion of construction
When construction activities have been completed, the
work area will be rehabilitated and a final quality and
environmental inspection of the line will be undertaken,
prior to the transmission line being commissioned.
We will also ensure all work sites have been left in
good condition and that all management, environmental
and access conditions have been met.
2
Ingham to Tully Project Newsletter
Decommissioning and removing
the existing line
The existing 132kV transmission line between Ingham
and Tully will be progressively decommissioned
between mid 2012 and late 2013. The bulk of the
removal work will occur in the traditional drier months
when access to tower sites is expected be easier.
The towers and conductors (wires) will be removed
as part of the project. The existing foundations will
be excavated and cut off below ground level. The
depth to which the foundations are removed will
be discussed with individual landowners to take into
account current and future land uses.
Environmental management
Work will be carried out in accordance with the
project’s Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
to ensure that any potential impact on surrounding
properties, the environment and the local community
is minimised. Specific control measures to minimise
noise, dust, vibration, and traffic impacts will be in place.
The EMP documents the strategies and actions
Powerlink will take to manage any environmental
issues that may arise during construction.
Powerlink will also operate within its Mahogany Glider
Management Plan, Mahogany Glider Offsets Strategy and
Vegetation Management Plan, which have been prepared
to meet Commonwealth EPBC Act requirements.
The EMP, EIS and EPBC documents are available on
our website www.powerlink.com.au (Go to ‘Projects
in My Area/Far North/Ingham to Tully’).
Project timetable
The timetable provided is weather dependent, as
construction activities will mostly occur during the
drier months.
Key Activity
Expected
Timing
Start construction (Cardwell to Tully)
Early 2012
Finish construction (Cardwell to Tully)
Late 2012
Start construction (Ingham to Cardwell)
Mid 2012
Finish construction (Ingham to Cardwell)
Late 2013
Commissioning
2013
Working hours
Compensation for landowners
The usual working hours for construction will be
6.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday. To maintain
power supply to the region, it may be necessary to
work outside these hours when working in the vicinity
of the substations. Should we need to undertake
any activities outside the normal work hours, we will
notify nearby landowners in advance.
All landowners who have easements resumed over
their property for the new transmission line are
entitled to make a claim for compensation under
the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.
Weed management
Compensation negotiations with landowners affected
by the new easements have commenced. This is a
negotiated process with individual landowners, and it
is possible that it may take a number of months for
initial contact to be made with every landowner.
We take weed management seriously and over
the past few months, comprehensive weed surveys
have been completed to help establish a localised
Weed Management Plan for the project. The Weed
Management Plan outlines specific ways we will minimise
the spread of weeds during construction activities.
The process for compensation is completely
independent of the process for construction, and a
landowner’s right to claim compensation is guaranteed
by law. Therefore, construction of the line may begin
before a compensation settlement has been reached
between the landowner and Powerlink.
Workplace health and safety
Landowners will be paid interest on the compensation
amount. Interest is calculated and paid from the date
of easement gazettal. This guarantees that landowners
will not be disadvantaged should it take some time
for compensation to be settled.
We are committed to the safety of the public, our
staff, our contractors and the transmission network.
Powerlink has appointed a principal contractor for this
project, who will manage workplace health and safety
on the construction sites.
If you have any questions about workplace health and
safety issues, please contact a member of the project
management team via the methods on the back of
this newsletter.
Property access
We try to provide landowners with as much notice as
we can prior to commencing work on their property.
We will endeavour to work around landowners’ cane
harvesting and other farming activities.
The construction timeframe and activities vary for
each property and for each tower site. A Powerlink
representative will further liaise with landowners
with regards to construction timing and activities
on their property.
We encourage landowners to seek independent
valuations and legal advice on compensation
matters and Powerlink will meet reasonable
costs for landowners to seek this advice, provided
that an agreement can subsequently be reached
on compensation.
Taylor Byrne Valuers will be acting on Powerlink’s
behalf in compensation negotiations with landowners
and will be progressively contacting landowners to
make appointments for valuations. If you have any
questions regarding compensation, please contact
Powerlink’s Property Officer, on (07) 3866 1392
(business hours).
As construction will be undertaken in different phases,
construction crews will need to make multiple visits to
each property over an extended period of time.
If you have any queries related to property access,
please contact a member of the project management
team (details on the back of this newsletter).
3
Community Benefits Program
During construction, Powerlink will offer a Community Benefits
Program (CBP) for the Ingham to Tully replacement transmission
line. Funding provided through this program is separate from
the compensation paid directly to landowners when an easement
is acquired.
The CBP funds projects that provide tangible benefits for local
communities in close proximity to the new transmission line.
More information about the CBP for the Ingham to Tully project
will be provided through local newspaper advertisements and
other community announcements.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Will Powerlink compensate me for any damage which might occur
to my property as a result of the construction of the line?
A. We make every effort to avoid any adverse impact to property
during construction. If damage does occur, we will either repair the
damage, or compensate the landowner fairly if the damage cannot be
repaired. This process is separate to the compensation landowners
receive for an easement resumed over their property.
In agreement with the landowner, our construction team will take
photographs and written notes of any damage that occurs to property
or crops. We will ask the landowner to sign off in agreement that
these notes are a correct record of the damage which has occurred.
This documentation is important in ensuring the landowner is fairly
compensated for any damage which may occur.
Q. When will compensation for the new easement be paid to landowners?
A. Once Powerlink and the landowner reach an agreement on the
value of compensation to be paid for the resumption of a new easement
over their property, arrangements will be made for it to be paid to
the landowner and/or, if required, to the mortgagee. Construction may
begin before a compensation settlement has been reached between
the landowner and Powerlink.
Some landowners wish to settle compensation matters as quickly
as possible following the gazettal of the easement (as a part of the
resumption process), while other landowners prefer to wait until
construction of the transmission line is completed so that the short
and long term impact can be better understood and accounted for
in the compensation claim. Landowners will be paid interest on their
compensation – interest applies from the date of the gazettal of the
easement until the date the payment is made.
Ingham to Tully Project Newsletter
ABOUT POWERLINK
QUEENSLAND
Powerlink is a State Governmentowned corporation, which owns,
develops, operates and maintains a
$6 billion high voltage transmission
network that extends 1700km from
north of Cairns to the New South
Wales border. Powerlink’s primary
role is to provide a secure and
reliable network to transport highvoltage electricity from generators
to electricity distribution networks
owned by Energex, Ergon Energy
and Essential Energy. Powerlink also
transports electricity directly to
large Queensland customers, such
as aluminium smelters and New
South Wales via the NSW/Qld
Interconnector transmission line.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information on the Ingham
to Tully Replacement Transmission
Line Project, please contact:
Wes O’Brien, Project Manager
0408 450 672 (business hours)
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.powerlink.com.au (Go to
Projects/Far North/Ingham to Tully)