ABC North Queensland Breakfast radio phone interview with Craig Francis, CEO, Genex Power, transcript:
Michael Clarke: Well, power is such a big issue for the North and for the North West. It’s something we’ve talked a lot about over the years and looking at various projects that are coming into the community to deliver that. One that we’ve talked about in the past is the Kidston Hybrid Project. It used to be known as the Kidston Wind Project, but is now something that combines both wind power and battery energy storage. And, the team behind the project are in North Queensland over the next week or so to update people. They’re calling it a roadshow event, and it calls into Greenvale later on today. Let’s find out more details from Craig Francis, who is the CEO of Genex. Craig Francis, thanks for your time this morning.
Craig Francis: Nice to speak to you, Michael.
Michael Clarke: Tell us why you’re on the road and what you’re hoping to tell everybody about?
Craig Francis: Yeah, look, this wind project is something we’ve been working on for a while. We’ve actually been at Kidston since 2014/2015, so a long time, and quite engaged in the community out there. The wind project is the next phase of the Clean Energy Hub, and we’re getting to the critical point now where we really want community buy-in to the development pathway we take for the project.
Michael Clarke: So, what’s the message to, we’ll say, the Greenvale community today?
Craig Francis: Look, it’s really to give an introduction to the project to those that don’t know about it, and invite the opportunity for them to ask questions, and for us to really listen to the concerns and the community objectives for the energy transition in that part of northern Queensland.
Michael Clarke: What are you expecting the project to deliver for the North West when it’s fully up and running?
Craig Francis: Look, it’s really going to contribute to reliable power supply for the north. It builds on, we’ve got a 50 megawatt solar farm up there which has been operating since 2017 and a pump storage hydro, the first in the country for four years, coming online early next year. This is the third stage, and it really creates a clean energy hub that’s clean, it’s firm power, and it will be contributing to energy security and reliability of supply in the north.
Michael Clarke: What are the plans at the moment in terms of the delivery of this stage of the project? Where are we at with it?
Craig Francis: We’re in advanced stages. There’s a whole raft of work streams that run concurrently. We’ve been in the federal environmental approval process for a couple of years now, and nearing the end of that, about to get our state planning approvals processes underway, and this engagement with the community is part of that. We’ve got grid connection works well advanced and we’re working with all the major suppliers—Goldwyn Turbines and our construction partners—to get the project aligned and really looking to commence construction in the first half of next year is the plan.
Michael Clarke: How dependent is this project on CopperString for example?
Craig Francis: Well, it’s completely independent, actually. We’re connecting into a brand new mine that Powerlink is actually constructing at the moment. It’s due to complete later this year and it’s really been built for the hydro and this project is connecting into the spare capacity of that line. line. So, it’s really making an efficient use of that investment by Powerlink and really not contingent on CopperString going ahead or, you know, the timing of that development.
Michael Clarke: And has that become important, because we’ve seen a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on that project recently. So, you can basically proceed without having to rely on what’s happening with CopperString?
Craig Francis: Yeah, well, it’s independent. We had a long journey in securing the investment from the state and Powerlink for the line to Kidston. And, you know, it’s not easy, these projects, you know, there’s a lot of consultation involved, and that’s really important, as well as, you know, they’re large projects. [inaudible]. So, we’ve been on our own journey, but we’re a bit further advanced than that project. And, obviously, you know, the state government running with it now, you know, we’re really keen to see that proceed as well and be a big success.
Michael Clarke: These information events that you’re planning, there’s one today in Greenvale at the Greenhouse Greenvale Community Centre at four this afternoon. Then, on the 7th, that’s tomorrow, in Eighnasleigh from four through until six at the Town Hall. Then next week in Townsville at the RSL Club on May the 13th and Charters Towers on the 14th, which is the Wednesday, at the Charters Towers Golf Club. Who would you like to see come along to these events?
Craig Francis: Look, we’re really keen to hear from a wide range of people. It’s not just landowners and people directly affected. It’s anyone in the community, whether it’s a local business, a job seeker, a student or someone just simply interested in the renewable energy future; really an opportunity to hear more about the project and to ask some questions. And, really, those areas are relevant because, while the project is located at Kidston, you know, well west of population centres, there is a lot of equipment that will need to be transported through the Port of Townsville. And, obviously, there’s employment opportunities created across that whole corridor as we transport the equipment out to Kidston.
Michael Clarke: Yeah, and what about in terms of the construction stage for that? What sort of job opportunities might we see?
Craig Francis: Yeah, we’ve had a really, really big success story at Kidston. We created 900 jobs with our hydro project. We employed 180 for the solar farm that we constructed there, which completed in 2017. And, for this project, we’re expecting at least sort of 200 jobs during construction. And, really, in the long-term operation phase of the Clean Energy Hub, there’s going to be at least 20 permanent positions out at Kidston to facilitate the long-term operation of these projects. So, you know, really hoping to make a positive contribution to the community in terms of creating local employment.
Michael Clarke: So, a lot of opportunities there. If people are interested in coming along, do they need to book or do they just turn up?
Craig Francis: People are free to turn up. The only reason we’re seeking registrations is just for catering purposes, there’ll be some light refreshments provided. So, registration is encouraged but not mandatory and, yeah, please feel free to turn up; the more the merrier.
Michael Clarke: Opportunity to get an update on the Kidston Hybrid Project and how it impacts on North and North West Queensland. Craig Francis, thanks for being with us this morning.
Craig Francis: Thanks very much.
Michael Clarke: Chief Executive Officer of Genex there behind the project of the Kidston Hybrid and those events are coming up in the next couple of days and into next week. Greenvale today, between four and six, at the Greenvale Community Centre. Einasleigh, four to six tomorrow at the Town Hall, and then into next week, next Tuesday, at the Townsville RSL. Six to eight is the time for that event. And Charters Towers Wednesday next week, the timing for that, six to eight o’clock at the Charters Towers Golf Club.