SunCable has achieved another major regulatory milestone for the Australian component of its flagship project, Australia-Asia Power Link (AAPowerLink).
The project, which recently celebrated environmental approval from the Northern Territory Government and NT Environment Protection Authority, was approved by Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC).
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Securing these environmental approvals underpins development of the Australian infrastructure required to supply electricity to new green industries in the Northern Territory, and to export this green power to Singapore.
AAPowerLink is one of the largest energy infrastructure projects to ever receive an EPBC Act approval, covering a project footprint approximately 2,000km long from the heart of the Northern Territory, extending to the Australian and Indonesian maritime border.
SunCable Australia managing director Cameron Garnsworthy said this was a landmark moment in the project’s journey.
“SunCable is pleased to receive Commonwealth Government approval under the EPBC Act, following four years of extensive assessment and public consultation with stakeholders around Australia,” he said.
“Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in the project and SunCable itself as responsible stewards of the local Northern Territory environment.
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“SunCable will now focus its efforts on the next stage of planning to advance the project towards a Final Investment Decision targeted by 2027.”
Over two stages of development, the AAPowerLink project aims to deliver up to 6GW of 24/7 green electricity to large-scale industrial customers in both Darwin and Singapore via a 4,300km subsea cable.
