The Bowen Basin’s rail network will be reinforced with a new high voltage power line  being built east of Nebo, Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said today. Minister Wilson said Powerlink was about to build a 58-km transmission line to connect to a new high voltage substation it had built at Bolingbroke, east of Nebo in the Bowen Basin.

“The new high voltage line and substation will reinforce the electric rail network that services coal mines in the region,” Wilson said. Bowen Basin is a major coal producing region located in central Queensland, and contains the largest coal reserve in Australia. The project will boost the capacity of the Goonyella rail system.

Powerlink Chief Executive Gordon Jardine said the route for the new Nebo to QR Bolingbroke powerline had been finalized earlier this year following community consultation and the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

“A comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement was prepared in consultation with landowners and stakeholders to ensure that any potential environmental and social impacts were identified and managed,” Jardine said. “We appreciate the cooperation of landowners in providing access to their properties to  enable the new line to be built and will work closely with them during the construction.”

“The first stage of the project involves vegetation management, work on access tracks,  and levelling of pole sites. We will also implement weed control activities consistent with  the project’s Environmental Impact Statement.” Jardine said work on the foundations and assembly of poles is expected to start this month. Depending on the weather, Powerlink expects construction of the new transmission line to be completed in the first half of next year.