Bowen River Utilities planning to launch 3-part projects in Bowen Basin and more

The Bowen River utility companies, the company behind the billion-dollar mega-dam and renewable energy project, is planning to kickstart a 3-part project asserted to 'provide sustainable energy and water for future jobs.'

The project by Bowen River Utilities has three parts; the nearly trillion-litre Urannah Dam, the Collinsville Irrigation Scheme, and a 1.4GW renewable energy hub to be the largest baseload project in Northern Australia.

The construction of the project, southwest of Collinsville, estimates that 1200 jobs would be created and another 650 jobs needed during operation.

As per its latest budget submission, the company applied for $483 million in federal cash through the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund.
Instead of asking the state to chip in the other 50 per cent of the funding needed, the company will secure the rest from the private market.

According to the Whitsunday Times, the company is requesting that the State Government – which holds a monopoly on Queensland's water market via SunWater – not throw any funding roadblocks in its way.

Bowen River Utilities, in its submission, also wants environmental laws and approval processes streamlined to "remove the green tape stifling the construction of new infrastructure and economic growth".

"We're asking for both sides of politics to allow a transformative project in the Bowen Basin to provide sustainable energy and water for the jobs of the future," managing director John Cotter said.

Queensland Water Minister Glenn Butcher said the Government "does not apologise for or step back from taking the time to ensure project proposals were well founded" and that it had the responsibility to ensure "assets do not become a drain on future generations".

"The State Government is charged with the responsibility to ensure Queensland's resources are used effectively, for the benefit of the whole state," he said.

For further information regarding this, check out the full Whitsunday Times article here