Media Release by Humelink Alliance-Stop Rethink Humelik Campaign
Southern NSW residents welcomed the Federal Government’s $8 billion funding announcement to fast-track critical electricity infrastructure projects, as it could be used to fund undergrounding the HumeLink transmission lines to protect environmentally sensitive and bushfire-prone areas.
Michael Katz from the Stop, Rethink Humelink campaign said with the cost being the key barrier to Transgrid taking the transmission lines underground in the environmentally significant areas of southern NSW, he expected the new joint funding would unlock the only viable development option for this important transmission line by putting it underground.
“The original flawed proposal to run these lines overhead and cut a 360kilometre long, 70-metre-wide scar through beautiful landscapes and important forest habitats for endangered species was never going to get across the line due to the significant environmental, bushfire and community impacts it would have,” Mr Katz said.
“It is just common sense that vitally important green, clean energy gets delivered by green, clean transmission and distribution channels. Without that, the energy delivered is significantly tainted and cannot possibly be described as ‘green’.
“Despite offers of additional compensation, the affected communities in southern NSW are stridently opposed to the overhead HumeLink towers transmission line proposal and are committed to doing everything in our power, including holding the development up in every possible way, to stop the destruction it will cause to local communities and native animal populations.
“The new funding means that Transgrid can now move forward and take these lines underground to deliver a truly renewable energy solution as we transition to renewable energy at no cost to end users,
“It will bring Australia in line with the other jurisdictions that have progressed with the times and saw the long-term benefits of undergrounding transmission lines such as California and Europe.”
