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This article was published in The Noosa Journal 19 August 2011, by Isobel Coleman:

Project axed: Jack Connolly with Peter Wellington and concerned locals at the site of the proposed powerlines at Eerwah Vale.

STATE-OWNED agency Powerlink this week refuted claims it has wasted millions of dollars on ‘‘another Traveston Dam’’.

The company has pulled out of Eerwah Vale after plans to run high voltage powerlines through the valley were first ‘‘deferred’’ and then ‘‘terminated’’.

While residents have welcomed the decision many believe the exercise has been a waste of money.

Just two months earlier Powerlink spent around $2 million buying two properties.

Powerlink Chief Operating Officer Simon Bartlett described the purchase as ‘‘unremarkable’’.

But local Jim Cooney said it was a case of Traveston Dam all over again.

Comparing Powerlink’s actions to ‘‘the Traveston tactics and later finance fiasco’’, Mr Cooney was scathing in his criticism.

‘‘The only point missing from media stories is an approximate total of the State’s – including its fully-owned agency Powerlink – related wasted costs and expenses for the abandoned project,’’ he said.

‘‘We know at least $2.4 million was paid in two land purchases but there must have been wasted millions paid in fees to various employed consultants and assistants, in addition to allocating Powerlink salaries for times spent on this project, surveys, printing and presentation costs, costs of rentals for equipment and buildings.’’

At the time of the land purchase Independent MP Peter Wellington told The Journal it was ‘‘ like Traveston Dam all over again, buying up properties before a decision is even made’’.

‘‘I recently met with Energy Minister Stephen Robertson and senior staff from Powerlink over this matter,’’ he said this week.

‘‘Powerlink is now looking at building a substation in Caboolture instead,’’ he said.

‘‘Their expectation for the future is there will be a need for more electricity as the population rises on the Coast and the research one in Eerwah Vale will be used.’’

Powerlink Queensland’s manager network development Terry Miller confirmed the two purchased properties would now be sold.

‘‘In terms of the cost involved with a route acquisition project such as this, 70 per cent of the total cost is attributable to the easement compensation stage of the project. As the project has been terminated, there will be no expenditure associated with easement compensation, which is by far the highest cost component of such a project.’’

Source: questnews.com.au