Riverina farmers unswayed by promise of extra power line payouts

Under a new scheme announced by the NSW government, landowners will be paid $200,000 for every kilometre of electrical transmission wire installed on their properties.

The Strategic Benefit Payments Scheme is designed to support the rollout of the state's changing power grid as more renewable energy sources come online.

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More than two kilometres of power lines and multiple 70-metre-tall towers are set to be installed across Peter Lawson's grazing farm in Book Book, about 35 kilometres south-east of Wagga, as part of the $3.3 billion HumeLink project.

He said the additional compensation was a "good start", but wouldn't outweigh the impact the massive towers will have on his picturesque landscape.

"This is a step in the right direction and certainly welcome, but they have missed an opportunity to have a serious look at going underground," Mr Lawson said.

"We're one of the last developed countries in the world that aren't using underground cabling as their power carrying infrastructure."

Gurrundah resident and HumeLink Alliance member Michael Katz described the compensation package as a band aid solution, which fails to recognise the environmental and social impact of the power lines.

He said transporting the energy underground was the obvious solution as it doesn't require the large-scale clearing of bushland, has less impacts on habitats and mental health, doesn't impede the fighting of bushfires or disrupt farming.

"In many other jurisdictions, such as Europe and California, they are doing away with high voltage overhead transmission lines in favour of undergrounding," Mr Katz said.

Payments under the scheme will be given to landowners in instalments over 20 years, indexed to CPI, with annual payments of at least $10,000 for each kilometre of wire.

The money would be paid in addition to the one-off upfront compensation paid to landowners in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1991.

Wagga MP Joe McGirr said the compensation scheme was an "important step forward" but wouldn't shift sentiment toward proposed power lines.

"It doesn't alter the debate about undergrounding but it is a recognition that the landowners affected by this deserve some recognition," Dr McGirr said.

"They will still want the lines to be underground and I respect that and that's something we need the government to consider."

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