The HumeLink project has been described as one of NSW's largest energy infrastructure projects
Pinsent Masons has advised joint venture partners ACCIONA and GenusPlus Group Ltd (Genus) on the negotiation of the delivery contract for the HumeLink East transmission line project.
Work on the project will be undertaken over a three-year-period, ACCIONA said in a press release, describing the project as a “vital link in the National Electricity Market”. Once regulatory approval is obtained, the contract will be valued at approximately $1.4bn.
The firm described the HumeLink project as one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in NSW. It is designed to transmit energy from the Snowy Hydro Scheme, contributing to an increased flow of renewable energy into the grid.
The project involves the construction of a 500kV transmission line linking Wagga Wagga, Bannaby and Maragle. The transmission line will encompass 360km of new lines and “new or upgraded infrastructure at three locations”.
“The HumeLink project is an extremely important one for Australia’s transition to renewable energy. Much has been said about the need for energy infrastructure, such as transmission lines, that support the building of renewable energy sources and maximise their output. The HumeLink project is a great example of unlocking renewables, in this case hydro, through the building of this vital energy infrastructure,” lead partner James Morgan-Payler said.
Morgan-Payler worked alongside senior associates Lee Jamali and Imogen Rollnik, associate Katie Zhang, and graduate lawyer Nicholas Piscioneri on the deal.