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more round would be 16 times
The Moorabool News – 7 June, 2022 Page 5
on would be six, not 16 round HVDC design opti The most optimal underg times, more expensive. require only a 3-metre cable arrangement would The most optimal HVDC easement. of sensitivity. Disturbance ible and can avoid areas ds Underground HVDC is flex ssion towers, hard stan less than for the transmi would be considerably d for overhead. and access tracks require ement and has the require a 30 metre eas not s doe ng Undergroundi transmission towers like s g to run in straight line advantage of not needin ided. as can more easily be avo do, meaning sensitive are not require a 100-metre s doe ng ndi rou erg und ssion, Unlike overhead transmi on farming practices. ons ricti rest er has much few easement to be cleared and
erg ✔ t comparison shows und ✘ Cos expensive. les and a 30 ✔ require five parallel cab Undergrounding would ✘ metre easement. to agriculture, ✔ causes less disturbance Overhead construction e. itag her l ura ✘ flora, fauna and Aboriginal cult operational ller construction and Overhead lines have sma flora and fauna. ✔ like as are e sitiv sen r ✘ footprint and can span ove tres would deeper than 300 milime No cropping or excavation uired for req ent metre easem mitted within the 30✔ ✘ be perrou nd cables. underg
What is the real story? Advertisements (pictured) have been placed in the Moorabool News and other local publications just outside the shire however, Council also placed one advert in the Canberra Times. Why? Derek Madden is the CEO Moorabool Shire Council and told the Moorabool News it was important to take out these ads locally to correct the misinformation AusNet has put out to the local community. “Council requested AusNet remove some items relating to the undergrounding of powerlines due to what we felt were misleading and inaccurate statements,” he said. “AusNet refused and placed a number of advertisements locally, highlighting some of the facts we felt required further analysis and explanation.” Within the advertisement, Council dispels, what they regard as ‘misinformation’. Underground would be 16 times more expensive; Council says underground HVDC option is only six times more expensive than the current overhead plan.
Ausnet say undergrounding would require a 30-metre easement; with a HVDC cable, Council said it would only require a 3-metre easement. The advertisement also addressed the path of the overhead towers, disturbance to flora, fauna and agriculture, and farming practices. Mr Madden said the independent report Council commissioned uncovered the truth about the cost of both options, and the environmental and community impact on putting the powerlines overhead. “We also ran the ad in The Canberra Times and will write to the new Cabinet Ministers in the Albanese Government so they are aware of the work that has been done proving that putting the powerlines underground is viable.” The advertisement was also displayed on Council’s Facebook page, resulting in positive responses. “It shows the community definitely supports our position and are pleased we are pursuing this with both AusNet and other levels of Government,” Mr Madden said.
AusNet responds to advertisement A spokesperson for AusNet Services told the Moorabool News, last year they engaged independent experts to investigate placing the proposed Western Renewables Link underground. “The experts examined route selection, electricity transmission and cost estimation based on the key project requirements set by the Australian Energy Market Operator, who contracted AusNet Services to investigate and build this critical project,” the spokesperson said. “We fully understand the concern and uncertainty a project of this size can create. And we are continuing to engage and consult with communities and landholders, right along the route.” The spokesperson said AusNet know undergrounding is an important issue for the community and it is an option they are continuing to investigate as part of the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process. “AusNet will continue to work with Moorabool Council, and all other stakeholders, as the project progresses towards the EES phase, where it will be independently assessed by a panel.”
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