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abermain to lockrose network upgrade

Environmental Impact Statement is now available

ENERGEX has appointed specialist environmental consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to investigate the proposed ENERGEX Abermain to Lockrose 110kV duplication project’s potential impacts on the environment and community as part of our CID application. Since November 2009, ENERGEX and PB have been conducting a comprehensive public consultation program to inform the local community about the proposed powerline duplication and obtain feedback and comments on the Project.

Conclusions in brief

The draft EIS has concluded that there were minimal social, economic and environmental impacts, predominantly due to the fact that the Project is an upgrade of existing infrastructure and is, for the most part, proposed within an easement which already exists. The Project does however provide wider community advantage in terms of continued safe and reliable electricity supply to households, businesses and workplaces within South East Queensland.

Please download a copy of the Executive Summary of the draft EIS for a comprehensive review of the formal document.

Alternatively, you can download the entire draft EIS here.

Printed copies of the entire draft EIS are available for public viewing at the following libraries:

  • Ipswich City Council Library: Cnr of East and South Streets, Ipswich
  • Somerset Regional Council Libraries: Esk branch- 19 Heap Street, Esk and Lowood branch- Cnr Michel and Main Streets, Lowood
  • Lockyer Valley Regional Council Library: 34 Lake Apex Drive, Gatton
  • Mobile Libraries for Ipswich City and Lockyer Valley Regional Council. Please visit their websites for locations

Have your say at our Community Information Days

During August 2010, ENERGEX would like to invite all interested community members to attend one of four public displays that PB are holding at Lockrose and Pine Mountain. Please drop in and view the draft EIS, find out about the Project and make any comments or suggestions.

Date Location
Thursday
19 August 2010
4.00pm – 7.00pm		 Pine Mountain Community Hall
Cnr Pine Mountain Road and Quarry Road
Pine Mountain
Saturday
21 August 2010
10.00am – 4.00pm		 Green Pastures Lockrose Lutheran Church
Zabel Road
Lockrose
Thursday
26 August 2010
4.00pm – 7.00pm		 Green Pastures Lockrose Lutheran Church
Zabel Road
Lockrose
Saturday
28 August 2010
10.00am – 4.00pm		 Pine Mountain Community Hall
Cnr Pine Mountain Road and Quarry Road
Pine Mountain

Your feedback is important to us

ENERGEX encourages the public to read the draft EIS and provide written feedback. All feedback received will be carefully considered and incorporated into a revised EIS which will be made available for further public comment later this year, before being submitted to the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy as part of ENERGEX’s CID application.

Please note that the formal public comment period for the draft EIS has been doubled from the statutory 15 business days to 30 business days and runs from 9am Monday 26 July 2010 to 5pm Friday 3 September 2010. This extended timeframe is being provided because the draft EIS for Powerlink’s proposed new 500kV transmission line between Springdale and Blackwall, which runs parallel to half of the ENERGEX easements, will be released at around the same time.

How to make a submission

To ensure your opinion counts, ENERGEX encourages you to lodge a draft EIS submission. Your submission should indicate any issues of concern you may have about the Project, referring specifically to the draft EIS.

All submissions received by ENERGEX in the formal comment period will form part of the Final Assessment Report (FAR) sent to the Minister for consideration.

All draft EIS submissions:

  • must be in writing
  • must contain your full name
  • must contain your full address
    should refer specifically to the draft EIS
  • can be lodged via post or email
  • must be signed if it is a posted copy
  • must be received by ENERGEX by 5pm, Friday 3 September 2010.

ENERGEX will reply to your submission and acknowledge that it has been received. In the coming months, you will also receive a detailed response addressing the issues you raised.

ENERGEX finalises preferred 110kV route

While undertaking the Corridor Selection Report, ENERGEX became aware that Powerlink Queensland (which owns and operates the State’s high voltage transmission network) was also planning the construction of a 500kV transmission line on its existing easements between Springdale (near Gatton) and Blackwall (near Ipswich), by around 2014. These easements were acquired by Powerlink more than 15 years ago for this purpose.

Because the ENERGEX and Powerlink easements run alongside each other for approximately half of the route between Abermain and Lockrose, ENERGEX worked with Powerlink and specialist environmental experts Parsons Brinckerhoff to consider co-locating the two proposed powerlines on the Powerlink easement between Muirlea and Lockrose.

Following detailed analysis of two possible options, which included an extensive public consultation program, ENERGEX’s planned powerline upgrade between Abermain and Lockrose will remain in the existing ENERGEX 110kV easement for the majority of its length.
 
As ENERGEX will remain in their existing easement, landowners at Pine Mountain, and those between Prenzlau and Lockrose, who currently have a Powerlink Queensland easement on their property, but do not have an ENERGEX easement, will not be affected by the proposed ENERGEX 110kV network upgrade. These areas were referred to in previous ENERGEX newsletters as Areas 1 and 3.

The only exception will be at Mount Stradbroke, where the ENERGEX 110kV line will be relocated so that it will run adjacent to the future Powerlink 500kV transmission line for a distance of approximately 4km. This was previously referred to as Area 2.

Click route map below to view larger image.

Abermain to Lockrose route map

what process does ENERGEX follow in seeking approval for the proposed corridor?

ENERGEX will seek Community Infrastructure Designation from the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, under the Sustainable Planning Act, 2009 (SPA). Specialist environmental experts Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to investigate the project’s potential impacts on the environment and community. An important element of the CID process is to ensure that nearby property owners, the community, and other interested stakeholders have the opportunity to comment on the project. Community feedback will be included in the CID application that will be submitted to the Minister. For further information see our proposed corridor approval process.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the EIS are now available here or on request.  The ToR acts as a check list to ensure the EIS addresses all of the key issues. To request a copy of the ToR please email us.

project timeline (subject to change)

ENERGEX is committed to providing comprehensive and open communication throughout the Abermain to Lockrose network upgrade project. ENERGEX will also keep the community and stakeholders up to date about the project and consultation process through a combination of project newsletters, adverts in the local press and community information days as noted below. The following project outline will help to keep you updated on each phase of the project:

Activity Date
Initial options analysis completed July 2009
Consultation with landowner and community groups and representatives       November 2009 ongoing
Community Information Days November 2009

Finalise options and prepare draft EIS released for public comment

 August 2010
EIS revised and released for further public comment October 2010
CID application to Minister for Natural Resources Mines and Energy February 2011
Projected completion of construction – Abermain Substation to Wulkuraka Tee October 2012
Projected completion of construction - Wulkuraka Tee to Lockrose Substation October 2014

ENERGEX connecting with the community

ENERGEX wrote to all landowners, whose properties are traversed by the existing easement, inviting them to meet with us to discuss the project. More than 80 per cent of all directly affected landowners gave feedback on the proposal, and 43 per cent took the opportunity to personally meet with the project team.

The project team also met with elected representatives and key government departments, and held four Community Information Days in Glamorgan Vale and Pine Mountain, which were attended by 63 community members. ENERGEX will continue to accept comments and questions from community members via our 1800 project hotline, email, comment forms, and letters.

ENERGEX would like to thank the community for participating in this process and for taking the time to meet with us or contact us.

other projects in the area

proposed 33kV overhead powerline project – Abermain to Karrabin

In a separate project, ENERGEX also plans to construct a 33kV overhead powerline from our Abermain Substation to our Karrabin Substation within the next two to three years, using part of our existing 110kV easement, to minimise impacts to the community.

Within the easement, the 33kV overhead powerline would need to be strung on concrete poles placed in-step with the proposed 110 kV infrastructure, to minimise the visual impact to surrounding areas and prevent powerlines clashing.  Timber poles will be used along the roadway to the Karrabin substation.

While ENERGEX is not required to seek Ministerial approval for construction of a 33kV overhead powerline under current legislation, we will consider feedback about the proposed Abermain to Karrabin 33kV overhead powerline.

contact us

If you would like to receive project updates, register your name and address on our feedback form. Alternatively you can call us on 1800 726 865, or email us with your enquiries or comments.

You may also write to ENERGEX at:

Consultation Corridor - Abermain to Lockrose project

Reply Paid 2907

Brisbane QLD 4001

further information