Western Power has appointed ACCIONA to deliver key transmission works for WA’s Clean Energy Link – North.
The $342 million project is set to unlock over 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy for the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
The project will help transfer approximately 400 megawatts (MW) of existing wind generation and enable up to 1GW of new renewable supply from the Mid West to reach homes and businesses across the state.
It forms part of the WA Government’s broader push to decarbonise the grid and is listed on the Federal Government’s inaugural Renewable Energy Priority List.
ACCIONA’s scope includes 27 kilometres of new 132 kilovolt (kV) transmission line, 6.7 kilometres of underground cable, and 17 kilometres of stringing on a vacant circuit. Substation and terminal upgrades are also included.
Construction is set to begin in January 2025 and finish by December 2027.
The Clean Energy Link – North will connect Western Power’s Northern Terminal in Malaga with the Neerabup Terminal in Pinjar, alongside new 330kV and 132kV terminal builds at Regans Ford and Eneabba.
These major works, awarded to Genus and UGL, are key to boosting capacity and reliability across the SWIS.
ACCIONA’s CEO Australia & New Zealand Bede Noonan said, “We are delighted we are continuing to do so with a project that will safely and reliably transfer more clean energy generated from wind and solar farms to homes and businesses.”
The WA Budget allocated $186 million this financial year to progress the project and undertake further planning for future transmission upgrades.
Total user charge contributions for the Clean Energy Link program are expected to reach $655 million.
Environmental approvals are still in progress, with assessments lodged with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the WA EPA earlier this year.