Transmission plays a critical role in enabling the state’s economic growth and maintaining a reliable electricity system for households, businesses, and industries.
The Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024 (the Act) was passed in April 2024 and sets out the process to allow the Queensland Government to identify and assess Priority Transmission Investment projects within a new State-based planning and investment framework, and to direct Powerlink to construct these projects and recover its costs following completion of assessment activities.
A proactive approach benefits all stakeholders:
As at June 2024, the following projects have been confirmed as eligible Priority Transmission Investments:
The Priority Transmission Investment process consists of four key stages leading up to the commencement of construction:
The Responsible Ministers identify a project as an eligible Priority Transmission Investment project.
The Responsible Ministers declare the eligible Priority Transmission Investment to be a candidate Priority Transmission Investment, and direct Powerlink to undertake an assessment of the project. The assessment stage comprises two sub-steps, each involving consultation by Powerlink. These sub-steps are the ‘candidate Priority Transmission Investment submission’ and ‘candidate Priority Transmission Investment’ assessment steps.
Powerlink builds the transmission infrastructure.
The Responsible Ministers review any additional expenditure for efficiency (and direct Powerlink how to recover any efficient additional expenditure).
Importantly, the process also requires the Responsible Ministers to seek advice from a ‘suitably qualified person’, for example the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), regarding whether Powerlink’s:
The process is intended to emulate the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T), included in the National Electricity Rules (NER) and supporting documentation, as appropriately and closely as practicable.
Powerlink undertakes two public consultations as part of the Assessment Stage of the Priority Transmission Investment framework:
The timeframes for the Priority Transmission Investment, including consultation timeframes, are set by the Responsible Ministers when directing Powerlink to undertake each step of the Assessment Stage.
Powerlink invites written responses to each consultation from energy industry participants, energy market bodies, potential non-network solution providers and any other interested parties.
Information on what is in and out of scope of the consultation is provided as part of the consultation process.
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Priority Investment | Status |
---|---|
Gladstone Project |
|
Borumba connection | Eligible Priority Transmission Investment not commenced |
Central Queensland connection | Eligible Priority Transmission Investment not commenced |
Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Energy Storage and North Queensland connection | Eligible Priority Transmission Investment not commenced |
Townsville to Hughenden connection | Eligible Priority Transmission Investment not commenced |
Priority Transmission Investments may comprise opportunities for non-network solutions. Potential providers of non-network solutions are encouraged to provide written response to the consultation, for full assessment of all credible options.
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