WestWind has undertaken extensive early engineering studies to understand the facts around underground construction. Our studies have shown that this approach could cost 5-10 times more than overhead transmission (subject to ecological and engineering investigations). Such a large cost would ultimately make this project unfeasible, and the benefits of the project would be lost.
There are many reasons why overhead is chosen, including cost.
Other key reasons include:
- Environmental impact – overhead is able to span sensitive ecological features
- Existing and future land use – overhead better integrates with agricultural land uses
- Ongoing maintenance requirements – finding and addressing faults is simpler when infrastructure is visible
- Time to deliver – underground construction requires specialised labour, as well as specialised cable, which can add several years in procurement and construction.
