A new report demands that governments, energy regulators and network developers immediately cease plans to build a massive new overhead powerline in bushfire-prone southern NSW that will put lives at risk, just three years after the Black Summer fires.
The report, titled ‘Why are we super-charging bushfire risks in a changing climate?’ shows overwhelming evidence that Transgrid’s proposed HumeLink overhead powerline project will significantly increase the risk of deadly bushfires during global warming.
It also calls on the State and Federal Governments to use their planning powers to insist that the cables go underground, as part of Rewiring the Nation to support the move to renewable energy. It has support from local community action groups, firefighters, the NSW Farmers Association Upper Lachlan Division and National Parks Association of NSW.
Mr Bill Kingwill from the Stop, Rethink HumeLink campaign - established by community action groups, HumeLink Alliance and HumeLink Action Group - said that while the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council has again warned NSW that we need to prepare for “above normal fire potential”, plans to build HumeLink overhead would only exacerbate the risk.
The current HumeLink proposal, which involves building 360km of overhead power lines across state forests, bushland and prime farming land, significantly increasing bushfire risks for communities and native animal populations that are still recovering from the devastating Black Summer 2019-20 fires.
Mr Kingwill, a member of the local Rural Fire Service, said this irresponsible infrastructure will present deadly bushfire risks for at least 80 years, at a time that both Federal and State Government Ministers have publicly stated that bushfires will become more regular and severe due to global warming.
“The NSW and Federal Governments are continuing to push ahead with the proposal that poses a clear and present danger to the lives of tens of thousands of citizens, firefighters, and millions of native animals and plants because they believe that overhead towers are the “cheapest” way to get energy from point A to point B,” Mr Kingwill said.
“Yet they are ignoring the potential loss of life and environmental devastation.
“The HumeLink towers proposal is based on flawed and short-sighted economic thinking, and ignores the findings of numerous bushfire inquiries (in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia) and Transgrid’s own assessment that there is a high degree of bushfire risk along parts of the route.
“It is well recognised in several recent bushfire inquiries that overhead powerlines not only start deadly bushfires, but also hamper our efforts to fight them because of the clear dangers that they present to volunteer firefighters on the ground and in the air.
“In recent years, investigations into major and destructive bushfires in Australia have made recommendations of undergrounding electricity transmission lines to minimise risks of sparking fires and impeding firefighting.”
Mr Kingwill said that while proven and safe technologies like undergrounding are available, Transgrid is moving ahead with the towers because they are the “cheapest” way to distribute renewable energy to fight climate change – the very same issue that is increasing the frequency, severity and intensity of bushfires in Australia and around the world, making these transmission lines all the more dangerous.
Alarmingly, in addition to the huge economic costs associated with rebuilding after bushfires, the greenhouses gases produced by bushfires started by transmission lines also have the potential to wipe out any gains made by renewable energy generation, with recent reports showing that the 2019/20 Black Summer fires more than doubled Australia’s annual carbon footprint.
These concerns have seen various inquiries into fires across Australia and the world make recommendations for transmission lines to be taken underground, with some jurisdictions such as California, having already commenced a program to underground lines.
National Parks Association of NSW President, Dr Grahame Douglas, stated: “The National Parks Association of NSW is concerned about any new infrastructure that increases the potential for bushfires and threatens the lives of our native flora and wildlife.
Undergrounding any new transmission lines through national parks is the best way of minimising damage from construction works and the threat of increased fire risk”.
NSW Farmers Association Upper Lachlan Division, DrRobyn Alders, AO, PHD said: “Climate change is already severely impacting agriculture in Australia, so we understand the need to transition to renewable energy as quickly as possible. We simply ask that the associated infrastructure be modern, secure and protect regional Australians and farming communities from additional devastating impacts of global warming such as bush fires.”
Andrea and Paul Sturgess understand the bushfire impact of powerlines all too well after their property near Batlow was devastated in the Dunn’s Road fire in January 2020 which saw l62 homes lost.
Like many others, they were told they had to fend for themselves because of two existing overhead electricity transmission lines that crossed her property prevented access by fire crews, from both land and in the air.
Mrs Sturgess said the existing lines had also started three bushfires in the vicinity of their property in the past.
“There’s no way known we could defend our property in a fire if HumeLink goes in as planned,” Mrs Sturgess said. “Our strong message to the State and Federal governments, the electricity regulators, the people in the cities, and most of all, TransGrid, is just put it underground! It’s the safest option for us all and for our future generations.”
-ends-
Media Contact:
Louise Green: 0479 101 274, Louise@lighthousecomms.com.au
Warwick Ponder: 0408 410 593, warwick@lighthousecomms.com.au
Comments