Powerlink has published a Project Specification Consultation Report (PSCR) to maintain reliability of supply to the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns areas.
Chalumbin Substation is located almost 100 kilometres (km) south of Cairns in Far North Queensland (FNQ) and has both 275 kilovolt (kV) and 132kV operating voltages. The site was established in 1988 to help supply load into the Cairns and Atherton Tablelands areas and it also provides the connection point for Kareeya Hydro Power Station. Planning studies confirm there is a long-term requirement to continue to supply the existing electricity services provided by this substation.
The condition of the substation’s secondary systems and remaining original primary plant has significantly deteriorated, with a high number of associated defects and obsolescence issues, increasing the risk to supply to connected customers.
Powerlink must therefore take action to avoid the increasing likelihood of loss of power arising from failure of the aging primary substation equipment and a range of deterioration issues.
The PSCR outlines Powerlink’s proposal to address the risks at Chalumbin Substation with primary plant and secondary system replacements along with targeted works to the Chalumbin to Turkinje 132kV transmission line by 2030. The indicative capital cost of the RIT-T project for the preferred option is $74.1 million in 2026 prices.
In accordance with the requirements of the NER, a summary of the PSCR is made available on the AEMO website. A copy of the PSCR can be obtained from the Powerlink website on the RIT-T Consultations page or by emailing [email protected].
Submissions on the PSCR are required by the closing date of Friday, 24 July 2026.
Any enquiries in the first instance should be directed to:
Grant Haydon
Manager, Network and Alternate Solutions
Powerlink Queensland
PO Box 1193
VIRGINIA, QLD 4014
Tel: (+617) 3860 2111