Council takes unanimous stand against HumeLink transmission line

The stance follows similar opposition to the proposed large-scale Gundary solar farm near Goulburn.

Their unanimous HumeLink position at a recent meeting was based on seven grounds. The council will write to Premier Chris Minns and environment and energy minister, Penny Sharpe, advocating this stance.

Further, if the $5 billion project goes ahead, the line must be placed underground and appropriate compensation paid to the council for road infrastructure, councillors said.

Shooters Fishers and Farmers representative, Cr Andy Wood, led opposition in a notice of motion to the meeting. He described the project as "economically disastrous" and operationally flawed."

TransGrid has proposed the 365km, 500-kilovolt transmission line between Maragle, near Wagga and Bannaby in the Upper Lachlan Shire. The line would pass through Goulburn Mulwaree over Pejar Dam.

Cr Wood argued the project would deteriorate roads as trucks traversed the council area; place pressure on accommodation in "an already stressed housing market"; negatively impact farmers, biodiversity, visual amenity and people's physical and emotional well being, and pose biosecurity and bushfire risks.

TransGrid says the infrastructure is necessary to harness renewable energy, boost power transfer capacity between southern NSW and major cities and to increase grid reliability and stability.

The state significant project is still being assessed. The company is aiming to deliver it by July, 2026.

But Cr Wood said it was "no secret" that HumeLink was connected to the Snowy 2.0 pumped storage project. He described the latter as a disaster that was "blowing through public money".

"There really is no good reason to have it (HumeLink)," he said.

"People don't want it on their land...and there are better ways of going about it. I support undergrounding the line but we are better off not having it in the first place."

Cr Wood said the "waste of public money had to stop and the council needed to be vocal."

TransGrid previously told The Post that any delay in Snowy 2.0 placed even more importance on HumeLink's completion, in order to "reduce supply scarcity."

In June, 2023 Mayor Peter Walker wrote to the HumeLink Alliance backing the group's campaign against overhead transmission lines.

He stated that neighbouring Upper Lachlan Shire would we heavily impacted and underground transmission was "the only reasonable solution to sustain our natural environment for generations to come."

The council in June, 2023 also called for the line's undergrounding in a submission to a NSW parliamentary inquiry.

The letter expressed concern about "negative impacts" on visual amenity, biodiversity and "increased bushfire risk." It noted that Goulburn Mulwaree was being "targeted" for similar projects due to its location and the presence of above-ground transmission lines.

"(The) council is concerned that this infrastructure will reach capacity sooner rather than later and additional infrastructure will be required," the letter stated.

In separate correspondence to NSW Planning, the council said it was satisfied that road impacts in Goulburn Mulwaree would be managed through dilapidation surveys and condition assessments. Council CEO Aaron Johansson also said a separate infrastructure agreement would be struck with TransGrid.

Cr Wood wasn't convinced and said several state significant developments in the area had not repaired roads to the expected standard.

"There comes a point when there's no more compensation and we're left holding the baby," he said.

Cr Wood also doubted any substantial economic benefits would flow. However Divall's Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage has already advocated its services to TransGrid. Goulburn Chamber of Commerce is also lobbying for local employment opportunities.

Cr Michael Prevedello supported the notice of motion on the basis of "disruption to people's lives."

"Many people choose to live there because they enjoy the amenity and (lifestyle)...but it seems this is being poo-pooed," he said.

"I think we have to be vocal and tell the state government what people think."

Cr Andrew Banfield argued for strong opposition, rather than simply expressing concern to the state government.

"At the moment we have to look at all these big turbines...Where does it stop?" he said.

"These people are taking control of people's land just because they can."

Mayor Peter Walker said millions of dollars had been spent upgrading major transport routes, including Clinton and Deccan Streets and Crookwell Road.

"I believe we have a responsibility to ratepayers to get compensation for road damage," he said.

Under the notice of motion, Goulburn Mulwaree will also advise the Canberra Region Joint Organisation of its opposition to HumeLink.