Strain of HumeLink plan prompts plea for project to be built underground

Panellist on the inquiry into the feasibility of undergrounding the transmission infrastructure for renewable energy projects and Wagga-based MLC Wes Fang said those who spoke at last week's public hearing in Tumut were overwhelmingly against more above-ground transmissions projects.

The inquiry was launched in June to look into whether projects such as the upcoming HumeLink transmission line installation across southeast NSW could be placed underground.

IN OTHER NEWS:

One of the state's largest energy infrastructure projects, the new 500-kilovolt Humelink transmission line is set to connect Wagga to Maragle, southeast of Tumbarumba, and Bannaby in the Southern Tablelands.

"It was great to hear from the local voices around the issue and the clear preference of the community is to have these power lines underground," Mr Fang said.

"I think the committee was left in no doubt that the community prefers undergrounding and that the broader long-term advantages are a factor in the decision-making, not just cost."

Mr Fang said attendance at the hearing was higher than initially anticipated, with up to 80 people turning out to raise a number of issues in relation to the proposed above-ground transmission lines.

"Issues raised included visual pollution, people's amenities on properties and the restrictions that places on the way in which people can use the land," he said.

Other issues included the impact on productive agricultural land and the risk around bushfires.

"There are a multitude of practical impacts, but also psychological ones on people who feel as if they're being asked to bear the brunt of these towers and transmission lines on their properties in order to provide cheaper power bills to metropolitan areas," Mr Fang said.

Rebecca Tobin, who lives on a property near Adelong, said the HumeLink project was putting people under too much stress.

"Over the last three years, people's health had deteriorated, and in some cases failed under the stress and absolute lack of empathy and consideration for the humans [involved]," Ms Tobin said.

She also said living through the Dunns Road bushfire "highlighted the reality ... we can't fight fires in the vicinity of transmission lines".

Ms Tobin said putting the lines underground was "a viable solution" that is "socially conscious" and "more Australian" than the current proposal.

"Do we really want future generations to look back and question the decision to create a 360-kilometre long, 70-metre wide scar of clear felled land, where trees are replaced by approximately 900 85-metre towers and wires across NSW," she said.

"It is difficult to envision regional NSW in this way, a thick cobweb of transmission lines traversing this beautiful country.

"In the words of our premier Chris Minns in his victory speech, a statement we hold with great hope: 'The people of NSW have voted to put in a government that will put people at the heart of ALL decision making, and we will not let them down'."

Former Wagga woman Andrea Strong also raised similar concerns over the project.

Ms Sharp lives on a 1600-acre property at Gunning and said the HumeLink transmission lines are set to travel 500 metres across her property.

She said Transgrid was "ignoring the community and environmental costs" when working on the project.

Ms Sharp said if all appropriate costs were taken into account, "undergrounding would be the cheapest option."

Transgrid has previously investigated the feasibility of moving the line underground and found it would skyrocket the cost of the project from $3.3 billion to $11.5 billion, while also delaying construction by up to two years and putting the state's energy security at risk.

A Transgrid spokesperson said last year the company would not underground the transmission infrastructure for HumeLink for two main reasons.

"[The first reason is it will result in] a significant and unsustainable cost increase, while the second is the resulting project delays, that would impact overall network security," the spokesperson said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: