The upgrade of an integral transmission line in Far North Queensland has been completed, with the capacity of the link between Townsville and Cairns being increased to 275kV from 132kV.
The boost in capacity will give Far North Queensland communities access to stronger and more reliable electricity, according to the state’s network operator, Powerlink Queensland.
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It also supports the in-flight Far North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), supporting the expected installation of 500-700MW of renewable generation across the region.
Kaban Green Power Hub, a foundation project of the Far North Queensland REZ, can now operate at full capacity, allowing Far North Queensland communities to capitalise on strong and clean wind energy.
This is one part of a two staged approach to strengthen the Far North Queensland electricity network with upgrade works on the Tully South Substation to be completed in April 2024.
Powerlink chief operating officer Gary Edwards said, “This is a significant milestone for the development and operability of the high voltage network, especially for communities across Far North Queensland.
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“It allows the clean energy from Kaban’s Green Power Hub to operate at full capacity and allows for more renewable generators to connect into the grid.
“This additional resilience to our network will be further supported when Ross Substation upgrades are complete in early 2024.”
