Here are the aswers to some frequently asked questions about line route options for powering the Southdown magnetite mine in Wellstead and increasing power supply to Albany.
What other power supply options did Western Power recommend to Grange?
Western Power's core business is the provision of electricity networks and it does not get involved with determining which energy solution a customer should implement.
What other power options did Grange Resources consider before deciding on the 220 kV transmission line?
Grange Resources has informed Western Power that they explored a number of different power options such as onsite generation, energy from bio-fuel from the Beacons bio-fuel plant and wind energy from the wind farm near Albany. For more information please contact Grange Resources directly.
What other line route options did Western Power and Grange consider before choosing the currently proposed alignments?
In response to Grange's request to be connected to the grid, Western Power investigated a number of line route options before deciding on the current alignments. View options and the reasons why they were not chosen.
Why is Western Power allowed to build a transmission line across private property, so that a privately owned company can make a profit?
Every business and individual in the southwest of Western Australia has the right to be connected to the grid. Farms, which are also privately owned companies that operate to make a profit, have the same right to be connected to the grid, even if this requires transmission lines to cross private property belonging to other landowners. For example communities such as Muja and Kojonup have powerlines, which feed the Great Southern region, crossing private land.
Western Power has an obligation as the sole provider of electricity transport networks (powerlines) to determine the best way of doing this.
Our core business is to connect customers (commercial and residential) to the grid so that they can establish and maintain businesses in Western Australia.
Answerable to the Government of Western Australia, we also has an obligation to assist in building infrastructure assets that ultimately belong to the people of Western Australia.
Albany will need more power in the future so why can't Western Power use one line running from Muja to Albany and then east to the Grange Resources' mine at Wellstead to service both needs?
Should the mine not receive approval, and the larger line (Albany only requires a 132 kV line to meet its needs), was already commissioned, the money spent on the bigger 220 kV line route would be wasted. There would be no way of recouping the unnecessary costs incurred and this would not meet the Economic Regulator's test.
Grange Resources' timing is another factor, as they require the power supply to their Southdown mine to be commissioned by 2010. This time frame is earlier than Western Power's long-term plan to increase power supply to Albany, which is planned for 2011.
Why can't Western Power build the Albany line by 2011?
Western Power has a long term plan to meet the power needs of the state and must follow this to service the needs of the areas closest to meeting their capacity before 2011. The planning and approval processes for a transmission line typically take up to 24 months and include submissions to the Environmental Protection Authority. The spring fauna and flora surveys have already been completed for the Southdown line, but could not be completed until Spring 2007 for the Albany line.
What line voltage will be needed to service the Albany area?
A 132 kV line would be sufficient to power the needs of the Albany area for the foreseeable future.
What line voltage would be needed to service the line if it went via Albany to Southdown?
The mine needs a 220 kV line to provide sufficient power. So, if the line route went via Albany, it would be a 220 kV line all the way. This would require a new $25 million terminal substation to be built in Albany to accommodate the larger line.
Who will cover the cost of the 220 kV line if the mine ceased production?
If Grange Resources does not receive approval for the mine to go ahead, the line route to Wellstead will not be built. As part of the approval process Grange Resources entered into agreements that guarantee all construction costs would be covered in the event that the mine ceases production. This would mean a large piece of infrastructure has been added to the grid without risk to the taxpayer or jeopardising the reliability of the power supply to Albany.
Page update on 6 February 2007
