Grange Resources has selected the line route to be used to supply power to its proposed magnetite mine at Southdown near Wellstead, 90 kms north-east of Albany.
Grange has selected a dedicated transmission line that will be constructed from Muja to Southdown, north of the Stirling Ranges.
Additionally, Grange has agreed to provide supplementary funds as part of the project to allow for the construction by Western Power of two new substations in the Gnowangerup area and near Wellstead, which will significantly boost the quality of power supplies to the region.
As Grange has chosen the direct Muja to Wellstead route, there is no longer a requirement to build Western Power's planned line from Kojonup to Albany at 220 kV. It will be built at 132 kV.
Grange's decision to support the construction of two new substations will benefit communities in the Great Southern as it enables Western Power to link in to the Muja to Southdown line and provide improved service to communities in the Gnowangerup region and on the south coast.
The decision to supply power to Grange via the Muja to Southdown route, instead of from Kojonup to Albany and Albany to Southdown means there is no need to build a line from Albany to Southdown to supply power to the Southdown mine.
GHD's investigations of the two potential line routes between Kojonup and Borden concluded in March 2007.
The information below was gathered from community consultation recommendations. The line route south of Gnowangerup was the preferred route. This line route was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority and gained approval in August 2007 .
Western Power Field Officers will be contacting landowners along the transmission line route to finalise and negotiate any line route changes.
See also:
During the consultation period there were a number of questions raised concerning the line route options for powering the Southdown magnetite mine in Wellstead and increasing power supply to Albany. More information
| July 2006 – January 2007 | Landowner and Community Consultation Process |
| July 2006 – January 2007 | Community consultation |
| January – April 2007 | Final route selected Referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for approval |
| August 2007 | EPA approval granted |
| October 2007 | Grange Resources announces selected line route |
| November 2007 - January 2008 | Landowners visited by Western Power Field Officers to decide final line route. |
| January 2008 | Pre-construction work starts including surveys, vegetation clearing and the building of access routes |
| April 2008 – April 2009 | Line construction |
| April 2009 | Construction completed |
* subject to change and dependent on mine approval
For more information, please contact Brenden Lee on (08) 9326 6918.
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Page update on 12 September 2008
