Kojonup - Albany Electricity Transmission
Line Corridor Selection

Stakeholder Advisory Group
Minutes and Notes (extract only - not complete)

Corridor Options Review Workshop
20 November 2007

Time:	10.00 am - 4.30 pm
Venue:	Cranbrook Town Hall, Climie Road, Cranbrook
Participants:	(extract shows only Western Power, GHD and Estill & Associates)
Lyall Murphy Jeff Hunter Allan Enright Cath Vincent Clare Game Mark Stevens Leah O'Brien Bill Grace Leanne Jim Singleton Linton Pike	Project Manager Approvals and Development Co-ordinator Networks Officer Stakeholder Management Officer Environmental Officer GIS Officer Team Leader, Stakeholder Consultation, Sustainability Corporate Manager, Sustainability Senior Consultant, Sustainability Principal Consultant, Sustainability Facilitator	Western Power Western Power Western Power Western Power Western Power Western Power GHD GHD GHD GHD Estill & Associates

Sessions I and 2: Project Background and Role of the Advisory Group

Questions , Answers and Comments captured on screen during the session

Questions	Answers
Tower height?	47m to 50m indicative typically with larger towers required for larger spans. Final design is yet to be completed but no tower taller than 50m. Typical tower spacing of 500m. Steep terrain and unusual topography will affect tower heights. Where possible the line to be placed along valleys to hide it or reflect other considerations.
Pole heights?	50m easement with indicative pole height 35 to 40m and 250 to 300m pole spacing. Easement may be slightly less.
What line capacity?	132kV dual circuit. Double circuit with 6 lots of wires
Easement width and characteristics?	50m easement with no tall vegetative replanting. The full width of the easement is not cleared other than vegetation that has an inherent risk. 1m vegetation growth but special conditions at key locations can be negotiated. Only vegetation that has associated risk will be removed. Generally lower vegetations remains. A 4m wide access track is required.
Existing corridor east of Albany Highway, could existing lines remain with new line beside it?	New line won't fit in the existing corridor with 40m to 50m separation required.
Is there any documented investigative work on the minimum distances?	It has been mapped but not documented. Lyall to make available at the next meeting.
What is the minimum clear requirement to houses?	25m to 30m minimum.
What weighting for proximity?	Many criteria with corridors affected by most constraints scoring worst. Relative weightings will apply and will be presented at subsequent meeting. Targetting 500m min clear
Do all weightings have the same value with cost rated lowest?	Different perspectives will be reported as sensitivities. Cost will be assessed in a representative way. ERA will focus on the economics.
Is the upgrade of the existing wooden line costed into this project?	Even if rebuilt a 3 rd line is required to meet regional load demand. The new line will potentially allow for the future renewal of the existing line.
Who selected the original assessment criteria? Concern was expressed that the criteria are too open for interpretation with some communities not involved.	Drawn from earlier similar work completed by Western Power. Further modified at Corridor Selection Panel workshops.
Private covenant land holdings and bio-security land holding seem to be rated lower than state or federal conservation?	Covenanted land not covered by the same legislation but supported by DEC and have a similar backing of DEC.
The brief is currently for a transmission line between Kojonup and Albany - is this likely to change?	Not possible to say it will never change. But this is what we are working towards today and with this process.
The ground rules have been set in Western Power's favour. There needs to be a broader discussion on these, to include what the community needs to see in this process. The community is also not satisfied with the responses that have been given for why other options have been discounted, and would like more information, such as detailed costings on these other options.
The Terms of Reference for the original Corridor Selection Panel did not come from the community, and writing Terms of Reference without community input puts the community at odds. Also, the three current corridors were developed without training or an understanding of the process, and the Corridor Selection Panel were bulldozed into them. Now that there is knowledge and understanding about the process, we should scrap these corridors and relook at what the options should have been. Also don't want to be in a position to have to decide on an option.	In today's session, we are going to work within the current framework, bringing in local knowledge and information.
Most people would have weighted cost low, so will the weightings provided at the workshops be used, or will cost be the most important factor?	We'll use the weightings provided, and will look at the outcome from the different perspectives.

Session 3: Corridor Selection Process

Questions , Answers and Comments captured on screen during the session

Questions	Answers
Was compensation cost factored into the comparative assessment?	It is a cost to project but is likely to be comparable and a small proportion of the total cost of the project. It is a level of detail consideration. Line length is probably more significant
Could approx costs be factored in?	3 corridors 2km wide wouldn't allow meaningful comparison.
Is the line cost $1 M per km with around $5M compensation payable along the total length of the project?	As indicative costs
Can compulsory resumption apply with LandGate doing the valuation?	Possibly but no decision to date.
At what land use (current)?	At highest and best use.
Does the land value change within the easement as industrial land?	Calculation is covered under several considerations - lost opportunity cost of the affects of the access track, curtalage and pylons calculated on current usage.
If the pylon footprint is lOOm2 doesn't the land become unusable (in effect industrial land)?	The land remains in its current zoning but is constrained with compensation payable for the total affect of the lost opportunity.
What affect on land value for small life style properties with aesthetic value?	Those considerations are excluded under the Act.
What about bio-security impacts resulting from WP entry and access? What compensation is payable for operations and income?	The key determinant is net change in value. Needs to be demonstrated and accessed with compensation payable if shown to be relevant. Consequential losses would need to be dealt with should they occur. Ag Department input and advice sought where appropriate with suitable mitigating measures as required - dieback, double gees, etc. There is also an agreement as a result of the easement.
It seems that more information is needed on the line. We can't provide the definitive version for the full line. How can we help when we don't have the information too?	Until a line route is selected there are still too many variables to be specific.

Sessions 4 and 5: Working Session and Open Discussion Session

Questions , Answers and Comments captured on screen during the session (partial record only)

Questions	Answers
Will WP consider an alignment that passes through blue gum with potentially significant cost impacts?	Yes, compensation calculated as if the land was purchased as bluegums, cannot be grown in the easement due to height restrictions.
What would make poles suitable in some sections - south of Muir Hwy? What is a sensitive area?	Response from Advisory Group: Populated lifestyle areas - visually impacted with proximity; Environmentally sensitive - remnant bush and caveats; Tourism Qualitative impact - societal and cultural impacts. Community values see poles as less intrusive even though there are more poles. Quantitative - what can be seen and by whom - process to be computer modelled?
COMMENT	Use existing fire breaks along property boundaries when route definition occurs. 30m fire breaks required for adjoining plantation usage.
COMMENT	Clarify status of covenants with regard to WP access and clearing.
COMMENT	Can more information be provided on the fourth option? It was noted that there is no representation of landowners east of the highway.
COMMENT	Can we seek comment from: South Coast Natural Resource Management South West Regional Catchment Group
Can WP provide certainty that there will be no additional line in the future?	Double circuit line will satisfy 30 year forecasts. If additional capacity required then existing single circuit lines become double circuit when supply is assured with an additional line.
COMMENT	What about a straight line with underground for last 30kms?
Are there examples of where compensation payments have been made calculated for blue gums but actually for pasture / farming land?	Yes.
Is there consideration given to community needs? Community are losing, bearing the loss, so need to look beyond cost only.	Further information provided on visual impact assessment: There are qualitative and quantitative issues with doing a visual impact assessment. An analysis can be done called a "seen area analysis". Software is available to do this type of analysis.
COMMENT	Poles are seen as more sympathetic with the environment.
Can more information be provided on the Albany Highway / existing options?	Western Power will provide information on the investigations done regarding this option. Some preliminary information is that there are approximately 750 properties along the existing transmission line route alone, whereas there are approximately 500 properties across all of the 2 km wide corridors. A member of Corridor Selection Panel responded that this was discussed at the first workshop, but viability was found to be very difficult. The group had unanimously agreed it was difficult and wouldn't be considered further.
COMMENT	Seek information on strategic tree planting from South Coast NRM and South West Regional Catchment Group in Bunbury.
Is there potential to create opportunities? Such as a substation at Frankland to support additional development.	Development in the south west and Mirrambeena industrial zoning are drivers for this project. Also, when it comes to the corridor decision - scoring the options - will look at a range of additional policies of all the agencies, including Department of Water, NRM and Planning.
COMMENT	Want there to be good effective power needs forecasting in place.
COMMENT	A study is requested on the density in the Redmond area, to be taken into account in the assessments.