CHATHAM ROCK PHOSPHATE PROJECTS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION LINE
Several of Chatham Rock Phosphate Ltd.’s Queensland-based projects (covering both phosphate and selenium) will directly benefit from a game-changing extension of the electricity distribution network.
It has been announced that Queensland government-owned transmission owner/operator Powerlink will build the CopperString 2032 project, formerly known as CopperString 2.0.
The initial approximately 840 kilometres of new electricity transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa will connect Queensland’s North West Minerals province (NWMP) to the Northern Queensland renewable energy zone and to the national electricity market.
The company’s Cloncurry-centred phosphate projects, namely the Cloncurry distribution hub and planned Korella MCP plant, will directly benefit from this game-changing infrastructure.
The southern connection planned to connect Cloncurry to Phosphate Hill will provide power to Chatham’s Korella North and Korella South mines.
The company’s Gunnerside selenium project, 20 kilometres west of Hughenden, would also benefit from the new electricity distribution facility at Hughenden.
The overall expanded CopperString project has a budget of $5-billion and includes:
500-kilovolt transmission line from Townsville to Hughenden;
330-kilovolt transmission line from Hughenden to Cloncurry;
220-kilovolt transmission line from Cloncurry to Mount Isa;
Up to six new substation sites.
- 500-kilovolt transmission line from Townsville to Hughenden;
- 330-kilovolt transmission line from Hughenden to Cloncurry;
- 220-kilovolt transmission line from Cloncurry to Mount Isa;
- Up to six new substation sites.
Powerlink expects to progress early works on the project in late 2023 ahead of construction commencing in 2024. The project is expected to be completed by 2029.
