CopperString will be a unique collaboration between the Queensland Government, Powerlink and CuString to develop one of the largest energy infrastructure investments in Australia, according to CuString executive chairman John O’Brien.

Mr O’Brien was commenting after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk committed the state Government delivering the transmission project advanced by CuString as a $5 billion investment, to be owned by the people of Queensland as part of the Queensland SuperGrid.

Mr O’Brien said that to ensure Queensland stayed ahead of competing projects, the business had committed to an early works package to kick off with the UGL-CPB Contractors Joint Venture from this month.

This would secure manufacturing slots on critical transmission materials such as tower steel and transformers, and detailed engineering design to integrate the 500kV SuperGrid requirements into CopperString.

“CopperString aligns with the State’s strategic objectives for North and North West Queensland to drive further development of our critical minerals and renewable energy and provide quality local jobs, and other manufacturing and procurement opportunities for businesses in the region,” Mr O’Brien said.

The CopperString transmission network will extend from Woodstock near Townsville, west through the North Queensland Super Hub at Hughenden – with more than 6000MW of development projects, and out to the North West Minerals Province.

CuString managing director Joseph O’Brien said extension of the transmission grid across North and North West Queensland was a game-changer for Queensland and the rest of the nation.

It would power the critical minerals and renewable energy opportunities vital to Queensland and the world’s transition to Net Zero, he said.

Consistent with the government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan (QEJP), CopperString will be 100 per cent owned by Queenslanders through government-owned transmission network business Powerlink Queensland.

“We are very proud to see the CopperString transmission network be owned by Queensland through the country’s best utility in Powerlink, and we grateful to be continuing to work alongside Powerlink to ensure the deep connection to North and North West Queensland remains,” Mr O’Brien said.