The Government has announced that the plan to run a power line from Manjimup to the proposed Beenup mineral sands mine will not proceed.
Fuel and Energy Minister Geoff Gallop said today that the substantial cost involved in constructing the line to avoid the disturbance of some sections of karri forest, as recommended by the EPA, made the route uneconomic.
"SECWA has decided to fall back on its Picton to Beenup via the Great North Road option," Dr Gallop said.
"The estimated cost of $15 million to establish the line over this 114.5 kilometre route will be about $2 million less than what would be involved in meeting the environmental requirements for the Manjimup to Beenup option.
"More importantly, however, it will send a signal to the developers of the Beenup mineral sands project that their timetable can proceed on time if they decide to go ahead."
Dr Gallop said the company, Mineral Deposits Ltd, was a subsidiary of BHP. It was expected that a decision as to whether the $135 million project would proceed would be made in mid-1992.
If the project was given the go-ahead about 180 full-time workers would be employed and there would be jobs for about 200 construction workers.
"The Beenup power line issue has been used as a political football by the Liberal MLA for Warren, Paul Omodei," Dr Gallop said.
"He has been having a few bob each way on the outcome without declaring his actual position.
"Jobs for people in the region are the Government's number-one concern and Mr Omodei should be keeping that in mind as well instead of being mainly concerned with getting his name in the paper."
