Client
Year
Project Value
Key Services
Pioneering a Smarter Approach to Energy Infrastructure
A critical component of the state’s renewable energy transition
HumeLink is one of New South Wales’ largest energy infrastructure projects, delivering 360 km of new 500 kV transmission lines and upgraded infrastructure to connect Wagga Wagga, Bannaby, and Maragle. As a critical component of the state’s renewable energy transition, the project required an innovative procurement strategy, robust stakeholder engagement, and regulatory approvals to ensure a streamlined and cost-effective delivery. E3 Advisory was engaged to provide transaction, commercial management, and regulatory advisory services, working closely with Transgrid’s integrated project team to develop procurement and risk strategies, stakeholder engagement plans, and commercial frameworks that balanced market appetite with regulatory requirements. The project faced several challenges, including the need to balance commercial risk allocation with regulatory expectations, secure stakeholder confidence in the procurement model, and address landholder concerns and environmental constraints that could impact project timelines.
To address these challenges, E3 Advisory developed a tailored procurement and delivery strategy, implementing an accelerated procurement approach and an innovative target cost contracting mechanism that aligned commercial objectives with regulatory requirements. The team provided strategic regulatory and stakeholder engagement support, leading responses to the AER’s Contingent Project Application 2 submission and ensuring clear, transparent communication with the Transgrid Board, CEFC, and other key stakeholders. Early engagement with construction contractors helped refine the contract risk profile, while the development of structured risk management processes enabled proactive risk identification and mitigation. The contract negotiation process was also a key focus, with E3 Advisory leading the development of one of NSW’s largest transmission line contracts, incorporating commercial flexibility to adapt to evolving project conditions.
Driving Confidence, Efficiency, and Transparency
E3 Advisory supported the development of a regulatory proposal and conducted regulatory and finance engagement for the Contingent Project Application 2 including development of key cost elements. Further to this, a streamlined market engagement process was developed to secure capability ahead of competing transmission line projects, ensuring the procurement approach remained aligned with market conditions and contractor appetite.
E3 Advisory also played a key role in establishing confidence in the contract model by introducing an incentivised contracting approach that balanced risk allocation with regulatory and market expectations. Through an extensive risk assessment process, the contract structure was designed to minimise the risk of reimbursable costs while maintaining commercial flexibility. Additionally, structured commercial mechanisms were developed to mitigate delays caused by landholder sentiment, geotechnical limitations, inflationary pressures, and environmental factors, providing certainty to both stakeholders and bidders. The incentivisation framework was further refined through targeted consultation, integrating KPIs and MRAs to encourage industry collaboration.
Stakeholder confidence in the novel delivery approach was strengthened through clear and accessible engagement strategies, ensuring complex regulatory and commercial matters were communicated effectively to key decision-makers, including the CEFC, AER, and Transgrid’s Board. The project was ultimately commended by stakeholders for the clarity and effectiveness of its regulatory engagement approach, reinforcing E3 Advisory’s expertise in delivering strategic advisory services for complex energy infrastructure projects.
Annie Ha Senior Advisor
Annie is a procurement, transaction, and cost advisor with four years’ experience in the infrastructure sector. She is an accomplished problem-solver who delivers lasting value for her clients by finding new and better solutions to complex issues. She was recently involved in the Northern Road Upgrade Stage 2 which provided an extraordinary opportunity to watch engineering designs come to life. Annie enjoys cooking and loves to travel.
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Hons)
- Bachelor of Commerce (Finance)
Annie is a civil engineer who specialises in procurement, transaction, and cost advice for major infrastructure projects. She has four years’ experience spanning the project lifecycle, from development to procurement and delivery. Annie loves tackling complex problems to deliver lasting value for her clients. She savours the challenge of finding new and better solutions to long-standing concerns. Annie welcomes the opportunity to learn from industry leaders on a diverse range of projects at E3 Advisory. Working on the Northern Road Upgrade Stage 2 was a career highlight, allowing her to watch engineering designs come to life.
Annie enjoys cooking and loves to travel.
Ryan Matthews Senior Advisor
Ryan is an engineering and finance professional at E3 Advisory who has over 9 years of experience in the planning, procurement and delivery of large scale building and infrastructure projects. His ‘hands on’ from experiences delivering complex projects for some of Australia’s largest construction contractors has helped him advise on projects in a multitude of sectors including, residential, commercial, waste to energy, and transport infrastructure.
Outside the office, Ryan is an active type, who is typically out and about surfing, cycling or running.
- Bachelor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Bachelor of Business (Finance)
Ryan is an engineering and finance professional at E3 Advisory who has over 9 years of experience in the construction sector. With a proven background in delivering successful projects, Ryan has a strong practical understanding of the planning, procurement and delivery of building and infrastructure projects. His experience across the various aspects of the project lifecycle is complimented by his ‘hands on’ approach which comes from his experience delivering complex projects for some of Australia’s largest construction contractors. The combination of this delivery and advisory experience enables Ryan to provide transaction and delivery advice on the unique challenges faced in procuring and delivering complex buildings and infrastructure.
Ryan enjoys the wide range experiences and projects that he is involved in. His project experience cuts across a multitude of sectors including, residential, commercial, waste to energy, and transport infrastructure. It is the breadth of these experiences that Ryan finds most rewarding and consolidates into providing well rounded and trusted advice to his clients.
Outside the office, Ryan is an active type, who is typically out and about surfing, cycling, or running.
Cross River Rail Delivery Authority
Setting up megaprojects for success
Transport for NSW
Supporting economic growth through fast rail
