CopperString Project

Project overview*

EIS status EIS inactive
Description A 990-kilometre alternating current transmission line with the capacity to transfer 400-500 megawatts of electricity to and from the North West Queensland electricity supply system and the National Electricity Market.
Proponent CopperString Pty Ltd (a special purpose vehicle jointly established by Leighton Contractors Ltd and CuString Pty Ltd).
Location/s

The transmission line would run from a new substation near Woodstock, south of Townsville, to a new substation south west of Cloncurry. The line would then diverge west to Mount Isa and to major energy users in the North West Queensland Minerals Province.

Map
Local government/s
  • Burdekin Shire Council
  • Charters Towers Regional Council
  • Cloncurry Shire Council
  • Flinders Shire Council
  • McKinlay Shire Council
  • Mount Isa City Council
  • Richmond Shire Council
  • Townsville City Council
Investment $1.5 billion
Key features
  • 990 km high-voltage transmission line
  • substations
  • 120-metre-wide easement (main line from Woodstock to Cloncurry)
  • 60-metre-wide easement (western extensions to line)
Expected completion 2014
Jobs
  • 750 (construction)
  • 37 (operational)

Project on hold

The proponent has placed the project on hold.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date Activity
Pending Coordinator-General's report on EIS.
26 September 2011 to
24 October 2011

Public consultation on supplementary EIS (SEIS)
17 June 2011 Review of Corridor Route Selection Report (PDF, 211 kB) released.
11 December 2010 to
7 February 2011		 Public consultation on EIS
29 October 2010 Terms of reference for EIS (PDF, 715 KB) released.
4 September 2010 to
4 October 2010		 Public consultation on draft terms of reference for EIS.
19 August 2010 Project deemed a ‘controlled action’ by federal environment minister.
19 July 2010 Project referred to federal environment minister.
18 June 2010 Gazettal of ‘significant project’ declaration.
13 May 2010 Application, including initial advice statement (PDF, 972 KB), submitted.

Read more about the EIS process.

Review of route selection

During public consultation on the EIS, a number of landholders objected to the alignment of a 100-kilometre section of the transmission-line route.

The section - which came to be known as the Costello to Landsberg Alignment - lies between the properties of PM Costello and RG & JM Landsberg.

Broadly, the landholders were concerned that:

  • the transmission-line route was incompatible with existing and envisaged agricultural land uses
  • they were not properly consulted on the alignment of the route

In response, the Coordinator-General ordered a review of the route selection process and methodology.

Consultants Golder Associates conducted the review, which looked at:

  • terms of reference for the EIS
  • route selection process and methodology, including a comparison with the process and methodology recently used by Powerlink Queensland to select a transmission-line route
  • transmission line's potential impacts on land-use practices
  • consultation conducted during the route selection process.

The review report concluded that:

  • the route selection report compiled by consultants Resource and Land Management Services could have been structured more clearly
  • overall, the route selection process and methodology were valid, using reasonable criteria for route selection
  • extensive consultation was undertaken, including with all the landholders along the Costello to Landsberg Alignment.

Download report

Review of Corridor Route Selection Report (PDF, 211 kB)

Media releases

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.