I firmly believe that Western Power Coroporation's (WPC) Eastern Terminal project, if it proceeds, will strongly aid the development of large-scale industrial and residential developments in the Perth Hills area. The future impacts associated with this type of scenario could be devastating for not only the Hills area, but the State of Western Australia.
I first heard about the proposal in September 2007, and I together with other concern local residents, formed the Stop the Eastern Terminal Substation Action Group. My exhaustive research into the proposal revealed a disturbing plan to carve up the Perth hills area for the material gain of primarily the coal industry (a resource that is now acknowledged by Governments as contributing to the death of our planet). The SETS Group members and I were appalled that WPC could possibly consider this project for the Perth Hills area.
When I read a government sponsored report which indicated that the Perth hills area forms part of the South West Ecoregion - a internationally renowned "hotspot" my disquiet grew. It revealed that with only 7% of the remnant vegetation remaining, our forests are critically endangered. It is inconceivable that Western Power is proposing the destruction of even more of this forest!
The SETS Group members and myself have worked tirelessly, raising awareness of this issue from within the Community, the Kalamunda and Mundaring Shires, and various Government Departments. We have so far managed to get WPC to re-visit their consultation process twice, which has meant a delay of over a year for the project. I have also not been convinced of WPCs environmental credentials, so I have launched an appeal with the Minister for Environment, after the EPA granted WPC approval to destroy around what I've calculated to be around 95 hectares of remnant intact bushland. WPC informed the SETS Group that it would begin the process of upgrading the line during Winter (the worst season of the year for aiding the spread of dieback). Please read here for the latest environmental damage by WPC - click here.
Last Monday, at the Kalamunda Shire’s planning services committee meeting, 80 residents attended the meeting to listen to WPC’s Customer Services General Manager, Mark de Laeter admit that the company had embarked on a course of confusion and mismanagement during the project, since September last. He also revealed that 600 submissions had been received from the community and that WPC had heard the communities views “loud and clear”.
Disappointingly, this trend of misinformation continued as he claimed that WPC was wanting a “fresh start” by going back to the drawing board, reviewing alternative supply options and consulting with the community in an open-book style.
In the next breath (and power point slide) Mr de Laeter then re-emphasised that it was WPC’s belief that Eastern Terminal was the best option and that it would still be located in Hacketts Gully, because it would consider a 500m buffer zone to their properties!
WPC is NOW saying it will only acquire a 4ha switchyard site, and that it will never seek to put oil polluting transformers within this Priority 1 water catchment area. Yet, a question by Councillor Martyn Cresswell revealed that WPC had plans to upgrade a 66,000kV line in the vicinity of the Hacketts Gully area to one of 132,000kV. This would mean that a transformer at the Eastern Terminal site would be needed, and within a Priority 1 Water Catchment Area.
Later, Councillor Frank Lindsey asked why would such a small switchyard still be needed. Mr de Laeter reiterated Western Power’s previous claims that if industrial development to the East of Mundaring eventuated, the Eastern Terminal would be needed. The fact that WPC is still pursuing this site, clearly indicates that it must be a foregone conclusion that such a project will eventuate. A project which can only mean that mining of the Bauxite leases 8km east of Mundaring Weir (used for manufacturing Aluminium – the worst resource intensive metal on the planet) will be a reality in the not too distant future.
MAKE NO MISTAKE. Even though WPC has used a rapidly changing “scope” of the proposed terminal, it’s and the State government’s long-term intent is for Eastern Terminal will be more than just a simple switchyard! This potentially massive project and the future transmission power lines could see the eventual destruction of 400 hectares of forest, an area the size of Kings Park, in the Hacketts Gully area alone. In 2016, WPC plans to expand the corridor to run a second or third row of power lines along the Collie to Eastern Terminal power line, further destroying such a critically endangered area. This type of proposal will see thousands of hectares of forest cleared, and the final nail in the coffin for our critically endangered untouched bushland!