I have received two brochures from Ergon Energy regarding their Warwick to Stanthorpe 110kV power line project.
In the October 2011 brochure the public was informed that Ergon Energy proposed to construct an 110kV power line to ensure a reliable power supply to Stanthorpe. A map showing Ergon Energy’s ‘preferred corridor’ was shown. No alternate routes were offered.
In the January 2012 brochure, with little or no public consultation, four options were presented with the fourth option labelled ‘Recommended Option’. As the maps in both brochures follow the same route, is this a case of “choose any option as long as it’s the one Ergon Energy has decided on”?
If option four goes ahead, this proposed 110kV line will follow the same easement as the existing 110kV line all the way from Washpool Road to Stanthorpe. This means that all the way from Washpool Road to Stanthorpe, landholders will be exposed to 220kV (220,000volts). Residents in Gilchrist and Mullins Road in Warwick will suffer the same 220,000 volts exposure.
Where is any evidence of Ergon Energy’s policy of ‘Prudent Avoidance’ or their Duty of Care?
Option four is the only option where, if it is implemented, about 85 per cent of the affected land holders will have to endure two 110kV powerlines.
Option four has two 110kV power lines side by side, in the same easement, nearly all the way between Warwick and Stanthorpe. Wouldn’t this increase the probability of outages for both lines at the same time from lightening and wild storms?
There has been no suggestion from Ergon Energy of using easements down the existing 33kV feeder line either to upgrade the present line to 110kV or run a new 110kV line.
If the proposed 110kV line went down the 33kV easement or if the 33kV line was upgraded to 110kV, the imposition on affected land holders’ health and property would be much less than if Ergon Energy’s proposed preferred option four went ahead. Also, the two 110kV lines would not be running side by side, lessening the likelihood of double outage.
Anthony Maw,
Warwick
