The Queensland government will take control of the multi-billion-dollar CopperString 2.0 project to transmit renewable energy from the state's north-west to the national electricity market.
The 1,100-kilometre overhead transmission line will connect the North-West Minerals Province to the grid near Townsville.
It is also expected to play an integral role as the "SuperString" enlivening the state government's North Queensland Super Hub near Hughenden.
The $5 billion project has been in development for about 10 years as a private venture by CuString, but will continue under a government-led model after the state government negotiated to acquire it.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the announcement was a huge step for north Queensland.
"The best way forward for us as a government is to actually own 100 per cent of that project so that we can keep it in Queenslanders' hands," Mr Stewart said.
"This is about us now putting in the infrastructure."
Reliable power to supply mining activities
Mr Stewart said CopperString 2.0 would deliver cheaper and more reliable power across north-west Queensland.
"When I go and visit mines out in that area, they talk about this as one of their biggest inhibitors to expansion," he said.
"This will actually unlock the potential for new mines to come on, to get things moving because our critical minerals that lie in that north-west minerals province are absolutely what we need to develop our renewable energy plan.
"By unlocking that potential, it’s going to create thousands upon thousands of new jobs, and sustainable jobs well into the future."
The Queensland government said early works on the project would begin later this year, with construction to start in 2024.
It is a process that is expected to support 800 direct jobs over six years.
Publicly owned transmission business Powerlink will lead the work on the project.
Largest grid update in decades
The initial concept for the transmission line was first floated more than two decades ago.
CopperString 2.0, which has already received tens of millions of dollars in state and federal government funding, has been "shovel ready" since late 2022.
Lobbyists Townsville Enterprise Limited (TEL) and the Katter's Australia Party (KAP) have been calling for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to expedite the government's takeover for months.
"It can't be understated how deeply significant this is. This will sustain the north west for the next 50 to 100 years," KAP state leader and Member for Traeger Robbie Katter said.
"This is of benefit to all of Queensland … We've still got $750 billion of metals in the ground that we know of, all to be taken out if you've got cheaper and better electricity supply."
TEL chief executive Claudia Brumme-Smith said Queensland had not built transmission lines of this scale for decades.
"This is our Gabba [Stadium]. This will return investment to the region," she said.
Ms Brumme-Smith said the next biggest challenge for the project would be providing housing in the region for construction workers.
"Our predictions are that we need about 1,000 apartments or dwellings for the next 10 years and then 9,000 dwellings overall, so a lot of time and effort now is going into 'how do we deliver them quickly?'," she said.
Ms Brumme-Smith said the promise of secure power from the CopperString 2.0 project would lead to investment in the region.
"Townsville has that boom and bust sort of image down south, and we need to change that and CopperString is part of that," she said.
"Now we won't see mining operators saying we need to close down because we can't afford the power.
"We want to see green energy projects getting off the ground."
Mr Katter urged Premier Palaszczuk to ensure the project was underway prior to Queensland's state election next year.
"The government have a plug-and-play type project. You've got the plans, the agreements in place with the users, the business case all done, so it's ready for investment decisions," Mr Katter said.
He said Mount Isa Mines Limited, which runs a slew of copper, lead, zinc and silver mines owned by Glencore, would be "fools" not to support CopperString 2.0.
In 2011, mining giant Xstrata the then-owner of Mount Isa Mines, did not support the initial CopperString project and instead opted for a rival power supply project.
"I think it was a mistake that they didn't back it in the first place because it left everyone stranded with just one electricity supplier for some time," Mr Katter said.
CuString's director, Joseph O'Brien, is the nephew of Kennedy MP Bob Katter. Mr O'Brien has been contacted for comment.
