MOD 1 - Layout reconfiguration and capacity increase

I object and do NOT consent to MOD 1 Layout Recon and capacity increase. Why?
*Harm to Tourism Industry, Clearing of Forests
Wide easements will be required for the high voltage power lines. An ABC News article reports that hundreds of hectares of forest will need to be cleared in order to create a 90 metre easement:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-19/residents-fear-transmission-line-will-ruin-tourism/12465286

The transmission line has been called "a scar on the landscape" that threatens the income of local tourism businesses (due to the visual impact of the line and the effects on tourist-attracting flora and fauna).

*Loss of Precious Agricultural Land
Agricultural land taken up by required infrastructure (including wide easements) will become unavailable for agricultural use. According to TasFarmers, "The impact on farming properties will be immense and given the ongoing dedication of everyone within the agricultural industry to not only their livelihoods but also the greater prosperity of our state these impacts should be avoided where possible."
Link to article: https://tasfarmers.com.au/news/north-west-transmission-development

The State Planning Office states:
"All agriculture depends on access to suitable soil. While the fertility of soils can be renewed, the loss of access to soils through conversion to other land uses is often irreversible. Reducing the breakup (fragmentation) of agricultural land and its conversion to non-agricultural use is important for the economic viability of the farming sector. This is one of the main objectives of the State Policy."
Link to page: https://www.stateplanning.tas.gov.au/topics/rural-planning

*Loss of Property, Devaluation of Homes/Farms
Some property owners are at risk of losing a substantial part of their land through compulsory acquisition to make way for high voltage towers and other infrastructure, potentially leading to financial hardship and emotional distress.

*Fire Risk
High voltage transmission lines pose a risk of fires, especially in the high fire risk areas of regional and rural Tasmania. In Victoria, where a similar situation exists, volunteer firefighters from at least 24 brigades have refused to fight fires around new renewables projects and transmission lines, due to serious, life-threatening safety concerns:

Volunteer firefighters say they will not fight fires around new renewables projects, transmission lines
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2024-06-19/cfa-renewables-protest-volunteer-firefighters-transmission-lines/103995318

Letter of Demands:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/666fbe726b8433675b4b60e5/t/666fcade2c48fc6ef840a0a0/1718602469171/RE+Impacted+CFA+Brigades+Letter+of+Demands+and+sign+off+FINAL+14+June+24.pdf

Smoke from fires near or under transmission lines can create electrical arcs or flashovers, which are potentially life-threatening to those nearby:
https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/fighting-fires-around-transmission-lines
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-20/lithium-ion-batteries
*Leakage of SF6 Gas (a potent greenhouse gas) into the Environment
SF6 (sulphur hexafluoride) is a synthetic gas that is widely used in the electrical industry as insulating material in switchgear for medium and high-voltage electrical installations. It is a component in distribution and transmission equipment in the power network and is found in large power stations and electrical sub-stations. SF6 is an extremely potent greenhouse gas that enters the atmosphere through leaks in the electricity industry. Wind and solar farms require a significantly longer and more complex energy grid than a fossil fuels-based system, which means more switchgear is needed, and therefore more SF6 is leaked into the environment. (Recall that the North West Transmission Developments Project alone involves 240 kilometres of high-voltage power lines.)

The global warming potential of SF6 gas is 23,500 times that of CO2, with an extremely long atmospheric lifetime of 3,200 years – the highest global warming potential of any known substance. SF6 cannot be absorbed or destroyed naturally (unlike CO2, which is absorbed by plants). Atmospheric concentrations of SF6 gas have nearly doubled in the last two decades, "as an unintended consequence of the green energy boom":

Climate change: Electrical industry’s “dirty secret” boosts warming
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49567197?ref=WindEurope

Evaluation of SF6 Leakage from Gas Insulated Equipment on Electricity Networks in Great Britain
https://doi.org/10.3390/en11082037

*Electromagnetic Radiation and Harm to Human Health
Electromagnetic radiation from high-voltage electric lines – especially long-term exposure – has been linked to health problems in humans, particularly cancer (including leukemia in children), as well as other conditions. The greatest health risk is to children, pregnant women, and those with underlying health problems.

Health Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation
https://www.scirp.org/html/50957.html

DOI Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbm.2014.28001

Evidence that electromagnetic fields from high voltage powerlines and in buildings, are hazardous to human health, especially to young children
https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/7d07ed5e-0945-4b27-bdf2-15a9c7f1acd7/content

The very clear evidence from NSW, where they were unbelievably and unacceptably asked to "turn off their dishwashers, washing machines and air conditioners between 3pm - 8pm on a warm, spring day "to help the grid" because it couldn't handle the load. Not to mention Broken Hill's power being off for a long time after the hurricane that touched down in their area, effectively shutting off all of the "renewables only" in the area, thus, cutting off power to everyone in Broken Hill.

It seems that "renewables only" are NOT working and obviously cannot work without permanent coal, gas or nuclear baseload power.

Very recent further evidence that renewables only are NOT working and are unacceptably causing constituents to have to sit in the dark for long periods of time:

"The leaps of faith in this vision are cavernous and almost entirely ignore the laws of physics as well as the constraints of engineering and economics. Take, for instance, the proposition that we have oodles of land. Yes and no. Wind turbines are best located on the ridge lines of mountains; hence the desecration of much of the Great Dividing Range. It also ignores the entirely legitimate preferences of the existing users of the land.

Siting renewable energy installations a long distance from the demand involves massive costs in terms of additional transmission lines, voltage loss and refitting of distribution systems. As for the proposition that all this electricity from renewable sources can be effectively used by existing and new large-scale plants is another whimsy." Chris Bowen is wrong to call Australia a renewable energy superpower | The Australian, 03 December 2024.

"In fact, across the past year, the Australian Energy Market Operator’s data dashboard records that brown and black coal supplied 64 per cent of the eastern grid’s electricity and gas 6 per cent. So 70 per cent fossil fuel then. Wind delivered 15 per cent of generation across the same time and grid-scale solar 8 per cent.

So coal is far and away the most reliable generator on the eastern national electricity market.

"Search the arid desert of Bowen’s words and there are usually some grains of truth. It is true that, like Animal Farm’s loyal carthorse, Boxer, the dependable generators on the grid are being flogged to death to make up for the routine failure of wind and solar to show up for work." Chris Uhlmann: Bowen plan threatens to leave us in the dark | The Australian, 30 November 2024.

"They tried to appear flippant, to give the impression this power rationing on a warm day was acceptable and all part of the plan. NSW Premier Chris Minns, his Energy Minister Penny Sharpe and federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen asked us to refrain from washing clothes or dishes for a few hours and to dial up the thermostat on the aircon – according to them, we do not need to be as cool as we would like to be.

Wouldn’t you love to see their thermostats? They mentioned the pool filter, too; it should be flicked to off – perhaps splashing in the pool and cranking up the aircon can be saved until winter."
"Labor and the Greens (and, let us be frank, too many Liberals over the years) have given us an energy grid that works well enough as long as there is not strong demand for electricity. It is like a bucket with holes halfway up the side, or a fence with a gap – next I suppose they will design a tunnel that is too narrow for the trains or a ferry that can’t squeeze under the bridge. (I know, I know, governments have already given us these innovations.)" Australia’s energy grid can’t handle a few warm days | The Australian, 29th November 2024.
I have also enclosed in this email further evidence of the extreme risk of bushfires breaking out from wind turbines, the high voltage transmission lines the wind turbines, large battery storage containers, solar farms (along with Marinus Link) that are or planned to be connected to and the how the large battery storage containers and solar farms themselves are extreme bushfire hazards. Worse, it seems that the 2500 wind turbines in Victoria have no critical fire safety suppression equipment on them, which should be standard on every wind turbine, especially since they are connected to the high voltage transmission lines and the dangers of flashovers. What is a flashover and why is it so dangerous and potentially life threatening?
"A flashover is when electricity, especially at higher voltages, jumps across an air gap to create a conductive path. A flashover may occur between wires or from wires to the ground - this may be seen as a flash or heard as an explosion or loud cracking sound."

CWO REZist objects the modification application for layout reconfigeration and capacity increase to Wallerawang BESS.

I Vehemently Object to Wallerawang BESS outright.

Cease Now Wallerawang BESS and Rebuild Wallerawang Power Station to use Coal, Coal, Coal, to offer every Australian cheap power.



Oh God ! Read this ! Our gov.au Want Processed Food not Whole foods ! And Not Organically grown Either ! Grown Using Electricity And Gas and Man Made Chemicals, urghh.



God Help Australians, and Our Dear Dry Continent uncared for by the Worst gov.au So Far, NB, So Far !



The Plan is TECH Made Food – ooooo ! How Disgusting ! I gave up Hydroponic tomatoes 8 years Ago ! Know why Too. I’ve tried to get a list of Chemicals used to grow Hydroponic tomatoes. No reply from company of course.



God Please Please Please God Please Please Awaken the Asleep !



And this tomato growing place are starting to use Robots eg to pollinate crops. Hmmm. What Is the Plan. Hey ? Robot Jobs Hey ! Jobs for Robots Future Hey. Scam is Net Zero Hey !



Oh God Wake the Local gov.au up, Please.



Jesus Christ Be Here Now and Cease and Desist Artificial Food Future, I ask you.



Cease and Desist Artificial Future.



Grow Organically and Biodynamically All Our Food, here on Australia, and offer Care Land Management, Growing Biodiversity In The Land, amongst Trees Cooling the Land, and Without Chemicals - All of Our Food, grown on the Land where we Care for Her, the Driest Continent upon Earth, needing the Best of Care, not Toxic Artificial Future.



Oh God. Dear oh dear.



I’m so glad I researched Greenspot and Protected Food Cropping. It’s a Horrifying future !



https://protectedcropping.net.au/the-protected-cropping-industry/

“Protected cropping is defined as the production of horticultural crops within, under, or sheltered by artificial structures to provide or enable modified growing conditions, and protection from pests and adverse weather. Crops are grown in artificial media rather than directly in the soil, and nutrients are supplied through irrigation systems.”



“High technology protected cropping consists of constructed glasshouses which are up to 8.5m high with significant automation of vents, fans, heaters and shade to optimise growing conditions. They have hydroponic systems that are computer controlled and automated. Sowing, crop management and picking are also partially or fully automated.”



Robot Future, Robot Future, Robot Future Aussies Cease NOW !



Man Made Food Cease and Desist Now !



Chemically Grown Food Cease and Desist NOW !



Won’t need Any Renewables or BESS or Gas then. Do you Understand ?



God Help Us Be Here Now to Offer Deepest Respect Toward Dear Mother Earth.



I Am Horrified, Absolutely Horrified by Renewables BESS Gas planned future to AI run Robots Future No Jobs for humans Future where we eat Hideous Artificial Food. Awaken you there in gov.au. Dear God help Us, Please. God help Us Please.



https://www.greenspot.com.au/about/

“EnergyAustralia handed over the keys of the old Wallerawang power station, near Lithgow in central-western New South Wales, to its new owner Greenspot.”

“Greenspot partner Neil Schembri said he hopes the site will attract manufacturing and protective cropping food production businesses to generate employment for the area.”

Wrong move Mayor of Lithgow, and Lithgow Council. Oh God, you don’t eat that stuff do you – that Man Made Artificial Non Nature Made Stuff called “food” , do you ? You don’t , do you ? I Don’t. Don’t you know why ? Ughhh. I have to stop you All. This is a Scam. The Whole Thing ! Renewables PLUS Gas Hey. Add BESS all over Australian Farmlands. Toxic are BESS. Cease and Desist BESS. Cease and Desist Protected Food Cropping Now. Care for Country and All On Country and Build a Better Future with Coal, yes Coal, Australian Coal, used in Three for NSW Brand New Coal Fired Power Stations, thank you, gov.au, to Cease and Desist all further Harm and Loss to the driest Continent on Earth, In The Wrong Hands, Sadly.



https://www.latrobe.edu.au/research/lisaf/research/protected-cropping



“…controlled growth facilities and high-tech phenotyping through non-invasive imaging include:..”



AI future eh ? Says Who ? Not me. You haven’t Discussed this with us, the Australian people, Have you, gov.au !



Get Out Now, gov.au.



Mother Mary, Please Help Us Live A Natural Life Without AI and Unnecessary infrastructure, where we, humanity, Care for Mother Earth, and Plant Her back, for the Benefit of Next 8 Generations here now and coming.



God Please Help Us Eat Organically and Biodynamically Grown food Only, to offer the Best Care to All On Country Dry Continent Australia and a Planet under the Greatest Threats Unlike Ever Before, for NO Reason, NO reason at all.

https://www.shell.com/

Read this !



“Learn about Shell's world-leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) business and the role of LNG in the energy transition.”



Gas is Worse than Coal. Is. Cease Gas EXCESS Extraction Immediately Now, gov.au. Know why too.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_plc



“Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England.”



https://find.shell.com/au/fuel/locations/nsw



“Find the nearest petrol, diesel, gas, LNG and hydrogen station or charging point (or fast charger) in NSW, Australia.”



Add BESS eh.



Shell gets a Finger in Every Pie, eh. China Gets The Coal. Get It. Shame On You All in gov.au. Yes. Shame On You All in gov.au.



Please Resign, the Lot of you.



Net Zero Is A Scam, the Greatest Scam SO FAR, offered by gov.au-multinationals-global, a Scam. I Demand an Immediate Moratorium on BESS, renewables, Gas Planned Future, Worse you Will know Already. Aren’t you Noticing the Weather lately, gov.au ? You’re not doing the right thing, gov.au. Resign, the Lot of you, as gov.au. Off you go. Say Sorry to this Dear Ancient Continent, and Mother Earth, you have No Care toward. Say Sorry to All On Country Mother Earth, under Threats Unlike Ever Before , For NO Reason, No reason At All.



https://shellenergy.com.au/energy-insights/wallerawang-9-battery/



“Shell Energy has acquired the development rights for a 500MW/1000MWh Battery Energy Storage System project, located within the former Wallerawang Power Station site, near Lithgow in Central West NSW.”

“Development approvals are already in place,”

“Batteries have a vital role to play in the energy transition, addressing the intermittency of renewables and providing system stability and delivering this project will be an important step forward in securing the energy future of New South Wales.”

Cease and Desist Wallerawang BESS proposal Immediately. Build a Brand New Coal Fired Power Station on this Site Now from Now ! Wake Up.

I am Disgusted with All of this !

Shame on you All. Get Out of My government now, you there in gov.au, planning a Awful future, Awful, and just for someone to Profit from !!! Feel Shame, All of you, All of you, yes All.

“This investment is yet another significant step in Shell’s goal to build a low-carbon integrated power business in Australia.”

This investment is just another finger in the pie to profit from.

God I Pray for the people planning a horrible future to Awaken.



God Help our poor Dry Continent that will be used for electricity generation Unnecessarily.



This is an Eye Opening submission. I am in SHOCK I am. You Will Not create this Awful future any more, gov.au.



I Demand a Royal Commission into Net Zero, Renewables, BESS, Gas, Hydrogen planned future where China receives Our Australian Coal we can be using here to generate electricity WITHOUT Unnecessary infrastructure Harming Our Australian and International Environments. What Are You Doing in gov.au ! Get Out, the Lot of you ! Now !

While the Wallerawang Battery MOD 1 project aims to enhance New South Wales' renewable energy infrastructure, it introduces significant environmental, community, and safety risks. These include biodiversity loss, toxic lifecycle impacts, fire hazards, and insufficient emergency preparedness. Addressing these challenges through stricter regulations, sustainable practices, and community engagement is essential to ensure the project contributes positively to the state’s energy transition.

Please see my attached submission.

i do not support renewable energy projects in Australia.

Application Number SSD-14540514-Mod-1
Wallerawang Battery Energy Storage System Modification – layout configuration alteration and battery size increase
Bathurst Community Climate Action Network (BCCAN) is a group of concerned citizens which is interested in promoting the renewable energy transition. Our state is moving from predominantly using highly polluting coal-fired power energy generation to much lower polluting renewable energy sources. This proposed modification is part of altering and boosting the electricity grid for this change.
This modification application mainly entails a 600MW battery energy storage system, which is increased from the approved 500MW in 2022.
Although we do not have the expertise to understand the technical aspects, in principle we support the modifications proposed. Our reasons are:
* batteries supplement short-term solar and wind power generation, and are critically important whilst there is an orderly and timely exit of ageing coal generators;
* the transmission line network is in place at the site due to the previous Wallerawang power station, making the connection to the grid simple, less environmentally destructive, cheaper, faster and more efficient;
* the previous land usage as power generation means that the surrounding area, although relatively close to Lithgow, has co-existed with coal-fired power generation since the power station was commissioned in May 1957. A BESS will have greatly reduced air pollution and no toxic coal ash, compared to the previous installation.
However, there are some hazards that the modification application notes are inherent in this BESS, due to its technical aspects. ‘The key hazards and risks associated with the Project include exposure to voltage, release of energy (i.e. arc flash), fire, release of hazardous materials, generation of explosive gas, battery thermal runaway and exposure to Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs).’ - page 93
Also, ‘The proposed Modification will also have impacts on 0.01 ha of habitat for the endangered Booroolong Frog. This would require one additional ecosystem credit for Plant Community Type 3981 and one additional species credit for the Booroolong Frog.’ – page X
While noting these, in conclusion BCCAN strongly supports the modification application.

I object to this project

i object

This infrastructure is too dangerous to the neighbouring properties and communities. BESS and solar panel factories are a significant fire risk. I object to this project.

I object to the entirety of this project given the destruction it will cause and safety implications brought on by it.

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission.
I fully support the Wallerawang Battery Energy Storage System Modification.
I believe that renewables are the way forward to powering electricity supplies in Australia. Using batteries to provide power during times of high demand and/or when renewable energy availability is limited is a very sensible option.
I believe that fossil fuels contribute to heating the planet and have out lived their time.
Thank you

Climate Change is a critical impact on the environment and communitues.

I support this modification and the project advancing large scale batteries as with the advancement of renewable energy projects.
This decommissioned coal fired power station site as with the current operational Mt Piper and other coal fired power station are well recorded being significantly contaminated sites as with the direct relation to coal mining impacting landscapes, air and water as with emissions and pollution historic and current.
My opposition and objecting that Energy from Waste should be removed as a renewable energy source with well known with even higher levels of toxic emissions and residual top and bottom ash. Energy from Waste is not a renewable form of energy and should be removed from the NSW EPA hierarchy.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a submission for this project.

Your truly
Julie Favell

This disastrous plan will never provide any reliable, affordable power at all.
It relies on the vagaries of the weather & is an incapable BESS.

When the powers that be realise that we are living in the Nuclear age & wish to remain an advanced country, most of what is planned for NSW will become obsolete.
The state will be stuck with the environmental vandalism & extensive contamination caused by Government (taxpayer’s) heavily subsidised ‘renewable’ energy installations.
What a disgrace!

I Object for these reasons:-
• It is destructive to native flora and fauna;
• Construction will leave a legacy of land destruction that is unlikely to be rectified by the builder;
• It is an abomination on the natural landscape of a massive scale.
• It is part of a system that costs billions, does not work reliably and attempts to solve a problem that does not exist, in other words useless and irresponsible use of public funds;
• All such infrastructures should be built at developer’s expense, NOT on public funds, we are told wind and solar are the cheapest, well prove it, remove all subsidises do not build this system on public funds;
• The TOTAL cost has not been verified by independent experts;
• There is NO verified scientific basis for reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere so this project is a total waste of public money, along with all other such projects.  There is in fact reliable verifiable scientific proof that CO2 is beneficial to plant life and by extension to human life on earth.

The fact is that so called ‘renewables’ will not bring enough energy to supply ordinary Australians. They have not been proven to deliver continuous supply.

I am very unhappy that there is no opportunity for open debate on this destructive energy depriving venture that will change the life of all Australians.

The fact is energy costs will keep on rising for ordinary, already struggling householders.

Australians are being unjustly deprived, mistreated & harmed by these terrible plans!

This obnoxious plan shows extreme disrespect for the environment, the local community, future generations & Australia’s welfare as it has horrendous, toxic impacts & is being imposed by intimidating bullies without factual research, proper consultation or consent.
Our voices are ignored while we are forced to endure a dangerous, untested system!

The environmental & economic ruination caused by this reckless, unreliable & unaffordable ‘renewable’ stupidity is causing great distress, austerity & hardship throughout Australia - hurting families & putting immense strain on businesses/ industry & the economy.
More jobs will be axed & vulnerable people will die as these terrible plans cause extensive blackouts & national weakness - with no energy security, food security or national security - thanks to incompetent, dictatorial megalomaniacs selling our electricity grid out to our most hostile enemies!

This is an unproven, unreliable experiment using inferior, environmentally destructive, toxic contaminating JUNK THAT NOBODY WANTS & WON’T EVEN WORK MOST OF THE TIME!
The empty promises of clean, reliable, sustainable are all absolute baloney as this deplorable, electrified nightmare is nothing but a great big scam making the carpetbaggers bucket loads of Fake Green cash ripping off the energy deprived, long suffering, unjustly treated public.