The Gladstone Grid Reinforcement is a proposed upgrade to the existing transmission network in Gladstone, Queensland. The preferred option for the project includes three separate stages, including
- Stage One:
- Construction of a new Gladstone West Substation.
- Construction of a new 275-kV double-circuit transmission line between Calvale and Calliope River Substations, switched through the Gladstone West Substation.
- Construction of a 275-kV bus at the new Gladstone West Substation.
- Stage Two:
- Construction of a new 275-kV double-circuit transmission line between Bouldercombe and Larcom Creek Substations, switched through the new Gladstone West Substation.
- Stage Three:
- Delivery of additional essential system service assets to compensate for the planned closure of the Gladstone Power Station, including two synchronous condensers and one 200-Mega Volt-Amperes Reactive (MVAr) shunt capacitor bank.
The proposed changes would add an additional 2.6 gigawatts of network capacity to the NEM.
Key Dates
| 2026 | Expected Construction Commencement |
| Mar 2029 | Expected Construction Completion |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Powerlink |
PROJECT HISTORY
| 2022 | For the 2022 ISP, Powerlink provided preparatory activities report for reinforcements of Central Queensland and Gladstone Grid section as it was identified as a Future ISP project. |
| Sep 2022 | The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan outlined upgrades to transmission infrastructure in the Central QREZ Region. |
| Dec 2023 | The project was allocated Actionable Project status in the draft 2024 Integrated Systems Plan (ISP). The project is expected to be at full capacity by September 2029. The estimated cost of all components of the transmission project was listed as $1.3 billion (±50 per cent). The draft ISP noted the project is likely to be an actionable Queensland project rather than an actionable ISP project, as it may progress under the proposed framework to be established by the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 rather than the ISP framework. |
| Jun 2024 | The 2024 Integrated System Plan confirmed the project's total estimated cost as $1.3 billion and provided an updated timeline, with the project expected to be completed by March 2029. |
| Jan 2025 | Expressions of Interest opened for 54 packages to deliver early works for the project, closing 30 April. |
| Mar 2025 | The project was included in the Federal Government's inaugural Renewable Energy Priority List. The Priority List aims to provide coordinated support through Federal, state and territory regulatory and environmental approval processes on a case-by-case basis and provide a 'faster to yes, faster to no' approach to regulatory approvals. |
| Jun 2025 | Powerlink Queensland released the Gladstone Priority Transmission Investment (PTI) Final Assessment Report, detailing the preferred delivery option, timeline, total estimated cost and project staging. The preferred option proposes delivering the project across three Stages, with a combined total estimated cost of $1.8 billion in real dollars (2025), with Stage One estimated to cost $954 million, Stage Two estimated to cost $768 million, and Stage Three estimated to cost $66 million. The Final Assessment Report also detailed the proposed delivery timeline for the project, with Stage One and Three expected to commence construction in early 2026, with Stage One expected to be completed by December 2028. Construction of Stage Two is expected to commence from April 2027, with Stages Two and Three scheduled to be completed by March 2029. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2025)
Sector
Energy
Procurement approach
Traditional Procurement |
Location
Queensland |
Resources
