Infrastructure
There are billions of dollars in both government and private investment projects slated for the Hunter. Here is a snapshot.
$200million AGL Energy gas project
AGL Energy has lodged a proposal with the NSW Department of Planning for its Gloucester Basin Coal Seam Gas (CSG) Project. The $200 million project plans include 60 to 90 gas wells and gathering lines, a central processing facility and a 100m wide pipeline corridor within the 1km concept corridor from Stratford to Hexham.
New Hunter River crossing
Construction on a third Hunter River crossing is underway. The $65 million project is a single span bridge connecting Flat Road, Lorn with Pitnacree Road, East Maitland. The bridge will bypass central Maitland and relieve traffic in Lorn and Morpeth. The project is running to budget and is expected to be complete in 2011.
$19 million rail bridge
Work on a new four-lane railway bridge at Thornton is expected to begin in August, 2010. The cost of building the bridge and its approaches is estimated at $19 million, with the project expected to take between three and five years.
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) completes Rail-passing loop
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has recently completed the construction of a new rail-passing loop at Aerosol Valley between Muswellbrook and Gulgong. The $15.3 million project completes another milestone in ARTC’s drive to increase capacity on the Hunter Valley rail corridor. Enabling trains to pass each other efficiently, the new loop will allow for more train paths and thus increased capacity on the Ulan coal line.
$18 million bus plant for Tomago
Bus manufacturer Volgren Australia will build an $18 million bus plant at Tomago to produce 150 “bendy” buses for the State Transit Authority. The plant will be built at the Hunter Industrial Park and is expected to be complete by October.
Gas Pipeline
The Queensland Hunter gas pipeline will transport coal seam methane gas from southern Queensland fields to Hexham and link with the existing Newcastle to Sydney pipeline. The $850 million privately-funded project will create 800 jobs during construction and 150 permanent positions after completion.
The 820km pipeline will deliver additional gas supplies, competitive pricing and choice for consumers.
Intertrade Industrial Park
150 hectares of prime land at Mayfield is being developed into one of the most strategic and unique sites on the east coast of Australia. Positioned only 4km from Newcastle CBD the site offers 2km of water frontage as well as road and rail links.
The NSW Government has allocated $8.1 million for construction of critical infrastructure to support development. The works include a new wastewater transfer system, the relocation and upgrade of the site's railway as well as road works to improve site access.
$1.5 billion in Coal Loading infrastructure
Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) is currently spending $170 million improving its coal loading capacity from 89 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 102 mtpa. Further expansion worth $458 million will be spent improving capacity to 113mtpa.
Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group is building a third coal loader at a cost of $922 million. The terminal will initially process up to 33 mtpa, expanding to a maximum of 66mtpa, and will include rail and wharf facilities.
Forth coal loader on the cards
Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) has lodged documents with the NSW Department of Planning for the construction of a fourth dump station, ship loader and associated coal handling infrastructure at its Kooragang coal terminal. The $500 million fourth coal loader is expected to improve the efficiency of coal exports out of Newcastle, with work on the third coal loader nearing completion and expected to be operational in March.
$200 million wind farm for Scone
The Kyoto Energy Park will be built near Scone and will generate up to 200MW of electricity via wind, solar and hydropower to be fed into the local electricity grid.
$77 million upgrade for Hydro Aluminium
Hydro Aluminium is in the process of upgrading the power supply infrastructure at its Kurri Kurri Smelter. The upgrade will secure the plant’s long-term future and provide sufficient capacity to meet potential increases in production.
$100 million upgrade for rail tracks
The Australian Rail Track Corporation is upgrading a third of the track between Whitingham and Belford. The upgrade includes a third track adjacent the existing line, with new bridges.
$100 million for power station infrastructure
Macquarie Generation is investing $50 million to upgrade water treatment facilities at Bayswater Power Station, leading to improved efficiency and reliability of Liddell and Bayswater power stations. A further $50 million will be invested in upgrading the corporation’s Hunter River pumping station.
$79 million switching station
Work is under way on a new switching station to reinforce electricity supplies to the Hunter region. The station will allow existing electrical links to Newcastle, Sydney and the Hunter region to operate at higher voltages.
