The ambitious CopperString 2.0 electricity project has moved to request for proposals stage of the project.
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The proposed $1.5 billion high voltage transmission line would link the North West Minerals Province with the National Electricity Market on the east coast and the Chair of the North Queensland Sustainable Resources Reference Group Tony McGrady called it a huge investment opportunity for the region with the potential to drive a new wave of jobs.
"It is very encouraging to see the CopperString 2.0 project is issuing an invitation to shortlisted participants to submit a proposal to construct what would be a nation-building piece of energy infrastructure" Mr McGrady said.
"With all of the impacts of COVID19 facing us, it's a positive sign for the CopperString 2.0 project to be actively engaged with the construction industry and promoting opportunities in a significant Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract."
Mr McGrady said the state designed co-ordinated project would deliver lower electricity prices for critical businesses in North and North West Queensland and would create 750 jobs for the three year construction program and deliver an additional 30 jobs ongoing.
"The known in-ground resources in the NWMP including copper, zinc, phosphate and new-economy minerals is valued at $749 billion and access to the NEM will dramatically reduce wholesale electricity prices and make energy purchasing more flexible for mining businesses with significant new mining investment and extensions to existing operations," he said.
The CopperString 2.0 package involves the construction of 1100km of extra high voltage overhead electricity transmission line from Mount Isa to Woodstock, south of Townsville.
It will require 60,000 tonnes of steel for transmission towers and reinforcement in foundations and 125,000 cubic metres of concrete for the tower foundations and substations.
The closing date for the submission of proposals in response to the RFP is July 1, 2020.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
