Cloncurry Shire Council has applauded the Queensland Government‘s announcement to purchase CopperString 2.0, with water and power being the cornerstones of further developing Outback Queensland communities.
Copperstring 2.0 is a 1,100-kilometer high-voltage transmission line proposal to connect the North West Minerals Province to the National Electricity Market.
“CopperString 2.0 will supply highly reliable electricity to communities and customers in North and North-West Queensland and deliver new opportunities for mining, industrial, and manufacturing enterprises, support major hydrogen and renewable energy projects and unlock the potential of irrigated agriculture on the fertile soils near Cloncurry,” Cloncurry Shire Mayor Greg Campbell said.
Mayor Campbell stated that Cloncurry is strategically located at a construction crossroads, which means the town will play an essential part in the project and the possibility it represents to expand mining production and expansion in the region.
Over the next six years, construction is predicted to sustain 800 direct employment and thousands of new opportunities in vital minerals mining, manufacturing, and renewables construction. The $5 billion project’s preliminary work will begin this year, with construction set to begin next year.
New hope for the Cave Hill Dam project
According to Mayor Campbell, the state’s investment in CopperString opens up a slew of potential mining projects worth billions of dollars, many of which are south of Cloncurry.
“This announcement will provide renewed interest in the Cave Hill Dam project,” Mayor Campbell said.
This project envisions a new dam with a capacity of roughly 140,000 megalitres, located south of Cloncurry and well-positioned to accommodate new mining ventures.
Mayor Campbell stated that the Cave Hill Dam project could potentially create hundreds of new agricultural and construction jobs over three years.
“The original driver for a dam was to provide sufficient, affordable water to develop an irrigated agriculture precinct. The dam’s construction will now be crucial to support the billion-dollar critical mining projects that are now possible, thanks to Copperstring,” Mayor Campbell added.
The Queensland Government will complete the 1,100 km CopperString 2.0 project in North Queensland, unlocking Australia’s largest renewable energy zone and more than $500 billion in new vital minerals. Powerlink will lead the project.
“CopperString is the most significant investment in economic infrastructure in North Queensland in generations. Unlocking affordable renewable energy and our critical minerals will benefit Townsville, Mount Isa and every town in between – unlocking thousands of jobs and billions in investment,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
