SP AusNet has announced that it will be undertaking an asset upgrade project to improve the safe and reliable supply of electricity to residents and businesses in the Metung area.
To be completed by December 2014, the works are part of SP AusNet’s $100 million project to improve powerlines in various locations within eastern, central and northern Victoria.
SP AusNet Project Manager, Abe Friedlander, said SP AusNet is committed to the reliability of its electricity network, with this work set to improve power supply for around 1100 local residents in the area.
“Following routine powerline inspections, eight powerpoles and approximately 12 kilometres of powerlines in the Metung area were identified for replacement,” Mr Friedlander said.
“Due to the extensive nature of these works, and to enable the works to be completed safely, multiple interruptions to some power supply will likely be required during the construction periods.
“Notification letters have been sent to customers and we’ve also spoken with many of the traders in Metung, along with the primary school,” he said.
Work will commence on 4 February 2014 with an outage to a large section of the town. This will be followed by power outages in smaller pockets of the area between February 18 and 21, with the remainder of the construction work to be completed before December 2014.
In order to minimise inconvenience, specialised construction techniques and mobile generation will be used to complete as much work as possible without needing to turn off the electricity supply to customers.
Mr Friedlander said SP AusNet understood it was never a good time to be without power, but these upgrade works would ensure customers endured fewer unplanned power outages in the future.
“For the work between February 18 and 21, all customers may experience a five-to-ten minute electricity outage while we connect and disconnect the mobile generators at the start and end of each day,” he said.
“SP AusNet would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while we carry out these vital upgrades.”
