What people are saying about New England REZ Transmission Project

Main concerns

Most raised first. One comment can raise more than one concern.

1. 01

   Cost blowouts and power bills

   Raised in 6 of 28 comments

   People track the budget rising from $1.3 billion in 2020 to $3.7 billion, with one commenter citing an estimate of $20 billion, and expect households to pay through their power bills.

   • “New England REZ Transmission Project budgeted by AEMO at $1.3b in 2020, revised to $3.7b in 2024 ISP. Construction not starting til 2028 and completion in early 30s. Anyone willing to guess its final cost and who will pay ?”

   • “I wonder how much money this report cost to make! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ costs that will be passed onto you and I in our energy bills in the future.”

2. 02

   Farmland and farming disruption

   Raised in 6 of 28 comments

   Farmers along the route worry about construction traffic, access to their properties and the long-term effect on cattle and sheep country, with fears of compulsory acquisition if the route goes ahead unchanged.

   • “Imagine getting stuck in traffic behind 1500 trucks every day This is the fate facing farmers in New England.”

   • “The transmission line needed to connect it (especially the Gundy to Walcha section) has blown out in size and cost, and local farmers are rightly angry.”

   • “This is a reckless rollout of a line that will be hugely environmentally damaging, with no social license and will end in forced acquisition by our government if they continue to push this route!”

3. 03

   An unfair process

   Raised in 5 of 28 comments

   Commenters say the Environmental Impact Statement is too long to digest in the time allowed, distrust the agency running the project, and question why the route was redrawn away from some properties and onto others.

   • “All the detail is in the 16571 pages of the 29 attachments and appendices… it’s procedurally unfair to expect impacted communities to digest amd comment in 28 days.”

   • “Why don't you have to read it all? What is hidden in the rest of it?”

4. 04

   A line to nowhere

   Raised in 2 of 28 comments

   Critics point to wind farms in the zone being cancelled or put on hold, and question building transmission before the generation is locked in.

   • “Origin Energy, our largest privately owned energy utility, has just cancelled a major wind farm proposal, Skye Ridge, in the New England REZ. And yet, the NSW Government is charging on to build giant transmission lines to basically nothing.”

What supporters say

1. Just build it

   Raised in 4 of 28 comments

   The most-liked comment on the EIS announcement simply calls for the line to be built. Others say opposition is a beat-up and that more than 50 local landholders have signed up to host wind and solar.

   • “Just get on with the job! Build the bloody thing!”

   • “Just two projects near Walcha and Uralla have more than 50 local landholders signed up to host wind and solar.”

How the community is responding

• The Coalition says it would scrap the lines

  The Member for Upper Hunter has posted a series of TikToks saying a Coalition government would cap the New England REZ and scrap the transmission lines from Bayswater to Walcha.

  TikTok

• Questions in Budget Estimates

  The Planning Minister was questioned in NSW Budget Estimates about his role in the transmission corridor.

  TikTok

• A "Ride the Line" protest

  Protesters rode along the route in the Upper Hunter, joined by Barnaby Joyce. A counter-post questions how many people took part.

  Facebook

• Local groups

  Walcha High Country Guardians, Protect the Valley Upper Hunter and Hills of Gold Preservation are being tagged into discussions about the line.

  Facebook

• EIS roadshow sessions

  EnergyCo is running community sessions on the EIS around the region, including at Uralla Courthouse.

  Facebook

Sources

• New England Times: It's out – the 889 page New England REZ transmission line EISFacebook · 36 comments
• A resident's response to the EISFacebook · 2 comments
• How many rode the line? A post on the Upper Hunter protestFacebook · 1 comments
• Uralla Shire Council: have your say on the New England REZ EISFacebook
• A local farmer on 1,500 trucks a dayTikTok · 3 comments
• A Coalition government will scrap the transmission lines from Bayswater to WalchaTikTok
• Budget Estimates questions on the transmission corridorTikTok
• The project's budget, from $1.3b to $3.7bX
• Origin cancels the Skye Ridge wind farmX
• Farmers angry over the Gundy to Walcha sectionX
• The route swings south across more of the REZX