Hunter Transmission Project

We invited the community to be part of the vital first steps for the HTP by placing a preliminary corridor on public exhibition between 20 November 2023 and 18 December 2023. 

Our objectives were to: 

• involve the Hunter community early in the project planning phase
• explain why the HTP is urgently needed
• explain how the HTP preliminary corridor was chosen as the most suitable option 
• seek community feedback that would help us refine the project design (primarily the transmission line route) in a way that minimises impacts and maximises benefits.

The community is invited to attend our community information sessions and meet with the project team.

• Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 May: 3pm to 7pm - Millfield Community Hall: 25 Bennett Street, Millfield 
• Wednesday 29 May: 3pm to 7pm - Morisset Multi-Purpose Centre, 143 Dora Street, Morisset 
• Thursday 30 May: 3pm to 7pm - Singleton CWA Hall, 1B Pitt Street, Singleton

In a region as diverse as the Hunter it is difficult to find a suitable route between Bayswater and Eraring.

To guide this search, we developed strategic objectives for the project:

• maximise the use of power station and mine-owned land, suitable public land and existing transmission easements  
• minimise significant land use conflicts and impacts on people and the environment  
• minimise hazards and risks  
• build community support  
• deliver the project on time at a reasonable cost to consumers.

We then carried out extensive investigations to identify where the HTP could be located. This included detailed electricity system planning, strategic land use planning, engineering and environmental studies (bushfire, biodiversity, heritage and visual) and consultation with key stakeholders such as local councils.  

Initially, we divided the Hunter into 3 broad strategic corridors (northern, central and southern) and examined the suitability of each corridor. We rejected the northern and central corridors as they would both result in significant land use conflicts and impacts to people in the urban areas between Singleton and Newcastle as well as the Pokolbin wine/tourist area.  

Using the northern corridor would also involve building a much longer and more expensive transmission line. This led us to examine multiple options in the southern corridor. 

Using the strategic objectives, we assessed and rejected a number of alternative options for the HTP preliminary corridor.  

The existing 330 kV transmission easement between Bayswater and Richmond Vale  

This option would be more expensive because the existing lines would need to be taken down and rebuilt to create space for the HTP. It would also take longer, ruling out any likelihood of delivering the HTP by early 2028. This is because the existing lines are essential for supplying electricity to Newcastle, making it difficult to secure the outages needed to construct the new transmission line. Finally, it would increase energy security risks in NSW by concentrating all electricity supply between Bayswater and Newcastle in a single easement.  

Next to the existing 330 kV transmission easement  

This option would cause significant land use conflicts in the Pokolbin wine/tourist area. It would also cause extensive clearing of endangered valley floor vegetation. This includes the Warkworth Sands Woodland and Central Hunter Valley Eucalyptus Forest and Woodland in areas such as the Singleton Military Area, Werakata State Conservation Area (SCA) and Werakata National Park.  

The bushland to the south of the Pokolbin wine/tourist area  

This option would result in even greater clearing of endangered valley floor vegetation in the Werakata SCA and Werakata National Park. This vegetation provides critical habitat for several threatened species such as the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater. This option would also cause significant landscape-wide visual impacts in the rural-residential areas around Ellalong and Quorrobolong.  

The valley further south of the Pokolbin wine/tourist area  

This option would result in significant land use conflicts with the growing residential areas around Millfield and Mount View. It would also cause significant landscape wide visual impacts in the rural-residential areas around Ellalong and Quorrobolong.