Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Megan Doherty

Have you checked out those towers on Hindmarsh Drive?

Some of the new electricity transmission lines on Hindmarsh Drive. Picture by Gary Ramage

Have you seen those new towers now going up on Hindmarsh Drive?

They are pretty hard to miss.

Most of them will be more than 20-metres high, some more than 30-metres high.

And, eventually, there will be 29 towers, mostly along Hindmarsh Drive and Canberra Avenue, en route to Queanbeyan, as well as the Monaro Highway.

Evoenergy is installing new electricity transmission lines for the Department of Defence to "meet the forecasted electricity demand for HMAS Harman and the surrounding area".

"Evoenergy is currently constructing the 3.6 kilometre-long transmission lines from the Monaro Highway, Hindmarsh Drive and Canberra Avenue to HMAS Harman," a spokesperson for Evoenergy said.

The transmission lines "include 29 poles and all works are within the Australian Capital Territory".

HMAS Harman, a Royal Australian Navy base that serves as a communications and logistics facility, is located at the border, in Jerrabomberra.

There will eventually be 29 new towers as part of the project to boost power to HMAS Haman. Picture by Gary Ramage

An environmental impact statement for the transmission line by GHD last September said "a significant investment in Australia's cyber security capabilities is planned for HMAS Harman" which sparked the need for the additional power.

The transmission line alignment extends from the East Lake-Gilmore transmission line at the Monaro Highway to Harman via the southern road reserves of Hindmarsh Drive and Canberra Avenue

Maps show 14 of the towers will be positioned on Canberra Avenue, east of the Newcastle Street intersection. Another eight will be on Hindmarsh Drive, to the Monaro Highway intersection. The others are on the western side of the Monaro Highway. They have span lengths of between 120m and 210m.

The GHD report said in response "to environment and heritage considerations, the pole type selected has the lowest footprint possible for the transmission line type".

Some of the new electricity poles being constructed on Hindmarsh Drive between Newcastle Street and the Monaro Highway. Picture by Gary Ramage

"In addition, environmental features, including bird deterrents are to be included to modify perching behaviour and reduce potential for fauna mortality," it read.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.