THE Bonshaw-Tenterfield-Lismore transmission line proposal continues to be delayed, with calls for the project to be thrown on the scrap pile.
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Total Environment Centre (TEC), an environmental protection group, has called on TransGrid and the NSW government to cancel the $227 million Bonshaw-Tenterfield-Lismore transmission line project.
"This project is unnecessary, environmentally controversial and expensive," TEC energy market advocate Mark Byrne said.
"It is time to put this white elephant out of its misery.”
TransGrid’s executive general manager of network planning Stephen Clark hit back at Mr Byrne’s claims, saying he was wide of the mark in his statements.
“The Total Environment Centre has missed the boat on this,” Mr Clark said.
“Sadly, in most cases, TransGrid has not been approached to respond to these sorts of claims.”
NSW Energy Minister Chris Hartcher announced last week the NSW Government had identified more than $2.5 billion in “unnecessary” capital expenditure and operating costs in the four state-owned electricity networks.
One of these was TransGrid's Stroud-Taree project, which has been the subject of local opposition and a critical report by an independent expert.
Last Friday, TransGrid announced it was abandoning work on that project.
"Why is the more costly but equally unnecessary Bonshaw-Tenterfield-Lismore project still on TransGrid's books?" Mr Byrne said.
"A similar pattern of flat or ever-decreasing energy demand in the Far North Coast in recent years has rendered this project unviable.
"TransGrid and the government seem unwilling to apply the same public interest standard to this project further north, which has received far less media scrutiny but intense criticism from the Australian Energy Regulator, as well as affected landowners and the Institute for Sustainable Futures.”
TransGrid’s Stephen Clark said the company had been heavily involved with developing and finding the right transmission solution for the region since before the proposal on the project had seen the light of day.
“A route has been selected and easement acquisition is under way,” Mr Clark said.
“It should also be noted that there are already agreements in place with 49 per cent of the affected landowners.”
Further tests and deferred start dates have caused concern for land owners.
“Based on the latest load forecast, it’s likely that this project may be deferred until 2022,” Mr Clark said.
“TransGrid will continue to review its plans as new data becomes available,” he said.
Mr Clark said an annual planning report was expected to be available at the end of June.
