❓ Question on Notice regarding the proposed Eastern Terminal substation, environmental surveys, and alternative transmission line routes through Kalamunda National Park. Also inquires about the operational hours of the Pinjar gas turbine generators.
AnsweredQoN 5963Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(2) Over the past 12 months, has Western Power commissioned Glevan Consultancy Services or any other environmental consulting company to conduct environmental surveys on any sites within the study area for the proposed Eastern Terminal?
(3) If yes to (2), please provide the details of the locations surveyed, the purpose of each survey, the date of each survey and the name of the company conducting each survey?
(4) Western Power announced on 7 February 2008 that a temporary structure called a ‘gantry’ would be constructed in Hacketts Gully at the intersection of the existing 330 KV and 132 KV transmission lines, and that the 132 KV transmission line from Boddington (Wells Terminal) to Hacketts Gully would be upgraded to 330 KV. If the Eastern Terminal were not constructed in the study area, is it the cast that -
(a) the 330 KV transmission line from Collie would be extended from the gantry in Hacketts Gully to Guildford Terminal substation;
(b) this line would traverse Kalamunda National Park; and
(c) the construction would involve the clearing of approximately 25 hectares of vegetation in Kalamunda National Park?
(5) If the proposed Eastern Terminal substation is built in the study area, is it the case that it would be necessary at some time in the future to construct a further 330 KV transmission line through Kalamunda National Park to deliver energy from the Eastern Terminal substation to the metropolitan area?
(6) On average in the past three months, how many hours per day did the Pinjar gas turbine generators provide power to the grid, rather than operating as synchronous condensers that provide reactive power only?
(3) If yes to (2), please provide the details of the locations surveyed, the purpose of each survey, the date of each survey and the name of the company conducting each survey?
(4) Western Power announced on 7 February 2008 that a temporary structure called a ‘gantry’ would be constructed in Hacketts Gully at the intersection of the existing 330 KV and 132 KV transmission lines, and that the 132 KV transmission line from Boddington (Wells Terminal) to Hacketts Gully would be upgraded to 330 KV. If the Eastern Terminal were not constructed in the study area, is it the cast that -
(a) the 330 KV transmission line from Collie would be extended from the gantry in Hacketts Gully to Guildford Terminal substation;
(b) this line would traverse Kalamunda National Park; and
(c) the construction would involve the clearing of approximately 25 hectares of vegetation in Kalamunda National Park?
(5) If the proposed Eastern Terminal substation is built in the study area, is it the case that it would be necessary at some time in the future to construct a further 330 KV transmission line through Kalamunda National Park to deliver energy from the Eastern Terminal substation to the metropolitan area?
(6) On average in the past three months, how many hours per day did the Pinjar gas turbine generators provide power to the grid, rather than operating as synchronous condensers that provide reactive power only?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 April 2008
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
35 days
(1) In June 2007, Western Power engaged Woodman Environmental Consulting to carry out a dieback management plan for the Wells Terminal to Hacketts Gully transmission line including a site previously identified around 2000 for the proposed Eastern Terminal. Woodman subcontracted this job to Glevan Consultancy Services.
The site previously identified as a potential alternative to the site owned by Western Power for Eastern Terminal was close to Mundaring Weir Road, opposite the junctions with Paulls Valley Road in Hacketts Gully.
It was determined shortly thereafter, that a full site selection process would be carried out, in accordance with Western Power's current transmission line corridor and site selection practice.
Western Power commenced the full site selection process in August 2007, but omitted to remove the abovementioned terminal site from the scope of work provided to Woodman in June 2007.
(2) No other environmental surveys were carried out on any sites for the proposed Eastern Terminal. There was however a survey conducted on the line corridor between Wells Terminal and Hacketts Gully.
(3) Western Power commissioned Ecoscope Environmental Pty Ltd to conduct a flora and fauna survey on the 40-metre wide line corridor of the existing 132 kV-transmission line from Wells Terminal to Hacketts Gully in August 2007. This survey was completed over the period of September to December 2007. However, Ecoscope was not asked to survey any potential Eastern Terminal sites within the study area.
(4) (a) In the unlikely event that Eastern Terminal is not constructed, Western Power would have to consider a number of options to meet power demands of the metropolitan area. These may include extending the 330 kV transmission line from the gantry in Hacketts Gully to the existing Guildford Terminal substation. However, current studies indicate that extending this line would have significantly more impact (from an environmental, social and economic point of view) than the proposed initial development of Eastern Terminal, and is therefore not a preferred option.
(b) Yes, this line would have to traverse the Kalamunda National Park and the Gooseberry Hill National Park.
(c) It is likely that the construction of this line would require the clearing of at least 15 hectares of vegetation in the Kalamunda National Park and Gooseberry Hill National Park.
(5) Not in the foreseeable future. It is extremely difficult to envisage development scenarios that would require additional transmission lines emanating from the site. Even considering potential development in the growth corridors and future city nodes, the most likely option for connecting the regional transmission lines into the network is to upgrade existing lines in the area, requiring minimal additional clearing of native vegetation.
(6)Over the past three months, generation at Pinjar provided on average approximately 16 hours of power into the grid per day . No units at Pinjar were run as synchronous compensators to provide reactive power during this period.
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The site previously identified as a potential alternative to the site owned by Western Power for Eastern Terminal was close to Mundaring Weir Road, opposite the junctions with Paulls Valley Road in Hacketts Gully.
It was determined shortly thereafter, that a full site selection process would be carried out, in accordance with Western Power's current transmission line corridor and site selection practice.
Western Power commenced the full site selection process in August 2007, but omitted to remove the abovementioned terminal site from the scope of work provided to Woodman in June 2007.
(2) No other environmental surveys were carried out on any sites for the proposed Eastern Terminal. There was however a survey conducted on the line corridor between Wells Terminal and Hacketts Gully.
(3) Western Power commissioned Ecoscope Environmental Pty Ltd to conduct a flora and fauna survey on the 40-metre wide line corridor of the existing 132 kV-transmission line from Wells Terminal to Hacketts Gully in August 2007. This survey was completed over the period of September to December 2007. However, Ecoscope was not asked to survey any potential Eastern Terminal sites within the study area.
(4) (a) In the unlikely event that Eastern Terminal is not constructed, Western Power would have to consider a number of options to meet power demands of the metropolitan area. These may include extending the 330 kV transmission line from the gantry in Hacketts Gully to the existing Guildford Terminal substation. However, current studies indicate that extending this line would have significantly more impact (from an environmental, social and economic point of view) than the proposed initial development of Eastern Terminal, and is therefore not a preferred option.
(b) Yes, this line would have to traverse the Kalamunda National Park and the Gooseberry Hill National Park.
(c) It is likely that the construction of this line would require the clearing of at least 15 hectares of vegetation in the Kalamunda National Park and Gooseberry Hill National Park.
(5) Not in the foreseeable future. It is extremely difficult to envisage development scenarios that would require additional transmission lines emanating from the site. Even considering potential development in the growth corridors and future city nodes, the most likely option for connecting the regional transmission lines into the network is to upgrade existing lines in the area, requiring minimal additional clearing of native vegetation.
(6)Over the past three months, generation at Pinjar provided on average approximately 16 hours of power into the grid per day . No units at Pinjar were run as synchronous compensators to provide reactive power during this period.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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