Queensland government invests $3.2 billion in CopperString transmission project to connect north and northwest Queensland to the National Electricity Market

Type: Investment · Technology: Transmission · Country: Australia · Value: $2.2B · Announced: 2026-06-11

The Queensland government committed USD 2.2 billion (AUD 3.2 billion) to the CopperString transmission project, a 350-kilometre 330 kV line from Reid River near Townsville to Hughenden, as part of its 2026-27 Budget. Early works are underway on the Eastern Link, with ground broken at Flinders Substation, while the Western Link will receive AUD 200 million via the North West Energy Fund (NWEF) to support local renewable generation, battery storage, and microgrids for communities including Richmond, Julia Creek, Cloncurry, and Mount Isa. Powerlink, the state-owned transmission operator, will partner with private sector entities to deploy flexible firming solutions to reduce gas reliance for baseload power, with enabling works for the Western Link also funded by AUD 420 million allocated for construction and development. The project aims to unlock the North West Minerals Province, potentially holding AUD 700 billion in critical minerals, by enabling new generation, firming capacity, and industrial development through direct connection to the National Electricity Market (NEM).

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