The Government of Western Australia (WA) has awarded a contract to Acciona to build a 27km electricity transmission line as part of the state's Clean Energy Link - North initiative.

The project, valued at A$342m ($224.72m), comprises the installation of 6.7km of underground cables and 17km of overhead lines. This development is expected to support the supply of approximately 400MW of current wind power and facilitate up to 1GW of new renewable energy production.

In addition to Acciona, UGL Engineering and GenusPlus have been awarded contracts under the same initiative. These agreements fall within a broader A$584m investment by WA for network enhancements managed by Western Power.

The upgrades target the northern section of the South West Interconnected System, covering areas from Geraldton to Albany and extending east to Kalgoorlie.

The Clean Energy Link - North initiative seeks to enhance the flow of renewable energy in regions north of Perth through the installation of advanced high-capacity transmission lines, terminals, substations, and transformers.

Additional work involves converting and upgrading existing lines and establishing new infrastructure at Regans Ford and Three Springs.

The WA Government's investment aims to fortify the northern transmission network, which is crucial for managing a projected significant increase in renewable generation needed to meet future low-emission electricity demands.

More than 400 jobs are anticipated to be created through this initiative, supporting local economic growth while advancing energy infrastructure.

WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said: "Clean Energy Link - North is pivotal and the start of our accelerated planning for future transmission corridors to unlock renewable energy across the state.

"Work on the next phases of our infrastructure investments is well progressed and will be released later in the year.”

Acciona, with over 20 years of experience in designing and constructing electrical transmission networks globally, participates in similar projects across countries such as Spain, Kenya, Mexico, and Peru.

In collaboration with Genus, Acciona is also involved in New South Wales' HumeLink power project. This venture includes building 227km of 500kV overhead lines from Bannaby to Tumut as part of a A$1.4bn infrastructure upgrade in the Australian state.