Industry opportunities
We're coordinating expressions of interest from local businesses and suppliers interested in working with the Hunter Transmission Project.
Find out how you can get involved here.
Latest news
Powering partnerships with local businesses
We had a great turnout at our Hunter Transmission Project industry briefings held in Singleton, Cessnock, Toronto and Newcastle in August 2024.
These successful sessions attracted over 150 people from local businesses and suppliers eager to hear more about the HTP’s procurement process, timelines and opportunities for involvement.
We’re pleased to have already received more than 50 expressions of interest (EOI) from local businesses.
Our Hunter-first approach focuses on investing in local businesses and creating jobs for the region.
By building local partnerships, we can create jobs for local people and make a lasting impact on our region’s future as we build the HTP.
Make sure your business is included in our EOI database by registering your interest here
Community engagement
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.
NSW is transitioning to a cleaner future
Our ageing coal-fired power stations are reaching the end of their life. Some are closing faster than expected, with most due to shut in the next 10 years.
At the same time, our demand for electricity is increasing as our population grows and we electrify our vehicles, homes, businesses and industry.
The NSW Government has a plan to ensure this demand is supplied by renewable energy and to provide cleaner, more affordable and reliable electricity to consumers.
EnergyCo is leading the implementation of this plan, which involves:
- generating electricity (wind and solar) in Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) across NSW
- improving the reliability of the grid with new storage capacity (batteries and pumped hydro)
- building new transmission infrastructure such as the Hunter Transmission Project to deliver clean energy to consumers.
Find out more about the HTP
Treading lightly to minimise environmental impacts
Early investigations and feedback helped us to avoid important environmental areas.
This includes:
- avoiding the Watagans National Park near Cooranbong
- minimising the clearing of scarce valley floor vegetation, such as the critically endangered Central Hunter Valley eucalyptus forest woodland and Warkworth Sands Woodland
- minimising the removal of critical habitat for key threatened species, such as the regent honeyeater and swift parrot
- protecting scenic landscapes and culturally sensitive areas.
We're continuing to work with all stakeholders including the community, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Forestry Corporation to avoid and minimise potential impacts on plants and animals, and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Alternative corridor options
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.
Map shows initial investigations to find a suitable corridor for the HTP. Please see the revised HTP corridor for the most up-to-date version.
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.
Video gallery
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Hunter Transmission Project or would like to provide feedback, please contact us.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 1800 645 972 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
You can also register for email updates here