Yet another energy infrastructure project is in the pipeline for Wagga, with plans for EnergyConnect being finalised and sent for approval.
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It will be one of the biggest energy projects in the entire nation, with 900 kilometres of wire being run through Wagga connecting it to South Australia and Victoria.
The plan garnered a mixed response from Sunrise Power Solutions owner Simon Playfair, who said he was delighted to see more renewable energy capacity in the grid but worried about the long-term consequences for Wagga landowners.
Mr Playfair said large energy infrastructure projects in Wagga had a history of causing grief to the people who are forced to live near them.
"I've got a friend who lives on the eastern side of Wagga adjacent to one of these big [solar] farms and he was informed there wasn't going to be any glaring, and there is. That's almost unforgivable," Mr Playfair said.
"I think it's disappointing we get rolled over the top of, and when a large organisation makes a decision there's very little we can do about it."
However Mr Playfair said he was glad to see more energy infrastructure in Wagga, since it would enable many more renewable energy projects that were hitherto impossible.
Mr Playfair said the heightened energy capacity would mean more renewables, better efficiency, and cheaper power bills for Wagga residents.
"Solar is here to stay no question about that; it's pure, it's simple, it's inexpensive - it's got a massive future," Mr Playfair said.
In other news:
The project is being run by Transgrid, and their major projects executive manager Sean McGoldrick said it was a big one.
"It's becoming the centre of the national electricity market, Wagga, with all the projects coming into it," Mr McGoldrick said.
"We're estimating [EnergyConnect] will probably provide around 1500 jobs and deliver an economic benefit of around $4 billion or so to the economy of regional NSW, which is an area that badly needs some investment."
So far 12 Wagga companies have already put up their hands for the project, with 84 expressions of interest being sent in from around the Riverina.
Jobs are currently up for grabs in various industries, including civil engineering, quarry products, haulage, logistics, traffic management, concreting, fencing and even workforce accommodation.
If the plan gets greenlit construction will begin in mid 2021 and would be completed sometime around mid 2023.
EnergyConnect would be built alongside the Humelink project, which is another multi-billion dollar development headed for Wagga.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
