Green tick sought for expanded substation to support one of state’s biggest solar projects

Queensland’s state-owned transmission company Powerlink is seeking federal approval for an expansion of its Bulli Creek substation in southern Queensland, so it can accommodate the addition of the proposed 775-megawatt (MW) Bulli Creek Solar Farm.

Powerlink submitted its expansion plans to the federal government’s environmental review process this week, adding yet another clean energy-related project to the already bulging EPBC queue.

According to the referral document, Powerlink is proposing to expand the existing Bulli Creek Substation to accommodate new connection infrastructure and increase the substation’s electrical capacity.

The footprint of the new expansion measures 4.3 hectares and will be built on land already owned by Powerlink, bordered in all directions by the Western Creek State Forest.

Works will include extending the substation platform to accommodate electrical infrastructure, additional access roads, and associated bulk earthworks and substation drainage modifications.

The existing helipad will also be relocated, necessitating a new cleared area and access track extension.

Construction on the Bulli Creek solar project, located around 6 kms away, is currently expected to get underway later this year or in early 2026, and Powerlink wants the substation expansion to be completed by the end of 2027.

The Bulli Creek project has taken numerous forms after securing local government development approval back in 2015 and getting EPBC queue in 2017.

The 775 MW solar project is just a first phase of the planned 2-gigawatt (GW) Bulli Creek Clean Energy Park which developer Genex acquired from Solar Choice in 2022. It has a long term off take deal for 550 MW of that output with the state-government owned Stanwell.

The first phase, BCS-1, is expected to be the largest grid-connected solar farm in Australia once it begins operations (although it could be beaten by other projects in the state).

A second phase will add a battery energy storage system which is currently expected to measure 400MW/1,600MWh, equating to four hours of 400 MW storage.

However, a court challenge was filed in July with the Queensland Planning and Environment Court regarding the Toowoomba Regional Council’s decision to approve an 800-person work camp for the project.

The appellant, Doug Hall Poultry, said they did “not oppose the need for the project or key infrastructure to support future renewable projects … What we do oppose is the way this particular proposal has been brought forward – without sufficient safeguards for our town and its people.”