Construction crews have raised the first towers of the HumeLink transmission project at Gregadoo, near Wagga Wagga – a milestone that signals the start of full-scale construction on the 365 km line. More than 700 workers are now onsite working across the entire alignment.
According to Transgrid, HumeLink will link output from Snowy 2.0 and other renewable generators into the national grid, delivering an extra 2200 megawatts of on-demand energy – enough to power up to three million homes for a week.
The project calls for more than 800 new transmission towers, around 52,000 tonnes of structural steel and over 9300km of high-voltage conductor wires.
Transgrid CEO Brett Redman said the project is a “once-in-a-generation investment,” vital to realising the Commonwealth and NSW Governments’ shared clean-energy vision and delivering cleaner, more affordable power to millions of consumers.
The first towers mark the beginning of the major logistical and construction phase, which involves subcontractors UGL with CPB Contractors on the HumeLink West portion, and Acciona with GenusPlus Group handling HumeLink East.
As construction intensifies, Transgrid says the project will deliver substantial economic benefits to regional communities — including employment opportunities, local business contracts and long-term gains through upgraded energy infrastructure.
With tower assembly now underway, HumeLink represents a major leap forward in Australia’s clean energy transition — and a timely step towards boosting energy security across New South Wales and beyond.