The Australian government has approved the controversial $4.8 billion HumeLink project, a 365-kilometer transmission line project in southern New South Wales. While the project is seen as crucial for Australia's renewable energy transition, opponents raise concerns about its environmental and aesthetic impact.
The $4.8 billion HumeLink project will build 365 kilometres of transmission lines in southern New South Wales. A controversial transmission line project seen by the federal government as critical to Australia's renewable energy transition has cleared its last major hurdle. The government has approved the $4.8 billion HumeLink project which will build 365 kilometres of new transmission lines in southern New South Wales, connecting Wagga Wagga, Bannaby and Maragle.
The Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek was not available for interview, and her office did not respond to questions about opposition to the project. In a statement to media, she said the project would bring 3 gigawatts of renewable energy into the grid and provide enough energy storage to power 3 million homes for a week. 'I've approved almost 70 renewable energy projects — enough to power more than 7 million Australian homes,' the statement said.Opponents in the communities where the transmission lines will be built have raised concerns about the environmental and aesthetic impact of clearing trees and vegetation to make room for the 500 kilovolt high-voltage transmission towers. Snowy Valleys Council mayor Julia Ham said people lived in the area because it was stunning, pristine and had 'so many trees'. 'When you have a small farm and you have a power line put it, it makes a huge impact,' she said.The HumeLink project has been subject to two New South Wales government inquiries which investigated the feasibility of laying the powerlines underground to reduce their impact on the environment.Humelink Action Group chairman Bill Kingwill said his calls for the powerlines to be placed underground had fallen on deaf ears. 'It is 2024 and overhead powerlines are 100 years old technology, look at what the rest of the world's doing,' he said
RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSMISSION LINES AUSTRALIA ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION
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