HumeLink's Taralga, Crookwell and Gunning consultation register low turnout

'Say no to foreign-owned Transgrid,' The Bannaby Residents Action Group (BRAG) billboard on Taralga's outskirts stated. It depicted the average house height beside TransGrid's proposed towers, which would range from 50 to 76 metres high.

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They are planned as part of HumeLink, a 360km double circuit 500 kilovolt transmission line stretching from Maragle near Wagga Wagga to Bannaby substation, near Taralga. The estimated $3.3 billion project is part of an east coast transmission 'super highway' linking renewable energy and connecting Snowy 2.0.

Company representatives were in town as part of a series of community engagement sessions. A total 10 people attended two Taralga sessions, five at Crookwell, three at Gunning and six at Yass, a spokesperson confirmed.

Project director, Jeremy Roberts, did not directly comment on the low attendance but said the sessions had been promoted widely through residents' "preferred" social media method. In addition, there had been letterbox drops and notification via the HumeLink newsletter, website and community consultation groups.

Another round of community consultation will be held in June and July.

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Meantime, opposition continues through BRAG and the HumeLink Alliance, the latter of which includes Crookwell, Gunning and Yass district landowners.

BRAG stated the route was mapped "without consultation," omitted affected residences on its map and traversed land inhabited by endangered kolas and crossed streams where platypus lived and bred.

TransGrid made changes which it said had lower environmental impact and travelled a shorter distance through very high bushfire risk areas. It also covered a longer distance through private land rather than its original passage through national park.

Mr Roberts said it was a "high priority" to avoid national parks due to environmental impacts, biodiversity offset costs and construction timeframes.

"We are under tight pressure to meet the Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) requirement for construction by mid 2026," he said.

"With these things it always comes back to what the AEMO will (approve). They will assess the project and ensure it is the most prudent and efficient (method) for the energy consumer and that people aren't paying more than necessary to have (HumeLink) built."

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Mr Roberts said TransGrid has also ruled out undergrounding the line on the basis of cost. Action groups have lobbied for this, given what they said were visual, amenity and environmental impacts.

Changes have also been made to the line's route near Pejar Dam, between Goulburn and Crookwell. Previously it ran through the dam's centre. Now it traverses the northern edge, runs parallel with an existing 330 kilovolt line and avoids conflict with the nearby Crookwell II windfarm.

The overall line's current proposed 200 metre easement will be reduced to 70 metres this year, after an EIS is released.

Despite landowner concerns about compensation, Mr Roberts said TransGrid wouldn't offer above that required under Just Terms legislation. However he said the company had pushed for the State's 'Strategic Benefits Scheme' that would compensate landowners with a $200,000 per kilometre payment, paid over 20 years, for all new large-scale transmission lines built on their properties.

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Mr Roberts said TransGrid had made compensation offers to 99 per cent of affected landowners and recommended they seek independent legal advice.

"We'll continue to work with landowners to ensure smooth delivery," he said.

Meantime, he confirmed people had also raised concerns about the construction phase, how it would work, and traffic and transport impacts.

TransGrid has shortlisted three companies to build HumeLink. Two will be chosen and a full funding proposal submitted to AEMO by the end of 2023. Mr Roberts said construction would be broken up into two sections - Wagga Wagga to Maragle and Tumut, and in the east - north of Batlow to Bannaby.

A voluminous environmental impact study is expected to be placed on public exhibition in September, for 28 days. TransGrid will respond to public submissions by late 2023 and is hoping for state and federal approvals in 2024. Construction is pegged to start by mid 2024 and be completed by 2026.

Mr Roberts stood by the project's need.

"It's vital to the energy transition to renewables. HumeLink will connect through the southwest NSW renewable energy area, strengthen Victoria into NSW and really support the backbone of the energy transmission and transfer," he said.

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