By Neve Surridge, Corporate & Customer Graduate – Reputation and Media | Corporate Affairs, Powercor Australia For any major project, getting community engagement right is essential to a smooth delivery. Here we take a look at two major power upgrades in regional Victoria this year, and how they have shown how proactive engagement with households and businesses can help teams […]
United Energy has been ordered to pay $93,200 in fines and court costs after it was convicted of failing to properly maintain vegetation clearance around powerlines in south-east Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. Energy Safe Victoria, the safety regulator for the state, brought 24 charges to the hearing, following inspections by compliance officers during 2021 and 2022. Energy Safe Victoria […]
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) CEO, Daniel Westerman, has outlined the challenges Australia faces in its energy transition, and warned that the country will need an additional 10,000km of transmission lines to support growing renewables generation. Mr Westerman, speaking at the Australian Financial Review Energy and Climate Summit, outlined the three critical challenges the industry will need to overcome as […]
Western power’s $5 million network upgrade for the Cunderdin Shire has reached the final stage of works, which are scheduled to be complete in February 2024. The work package, which started in January, involves the replacement of more than 293 poles and 47km of overhead power lines. Western Power Executive Manager of Asset Operations, Zane Christmas, said that in addition […]
The City of Stirling has announced the completion of a $20 million project expanding Perth’s underground power network, improving streetscapes and increasing reliability for residents and businesses. Part of Western Power’s underground power program is the Network Renewal Undergrounding Program (NRUPP); the project removed 493 poles and 23km of overhead cable and installed 354 new streetlights and 53km of underground […]
SunCable has announced its acquisition by a private investment company, which is set to support it in the delivery of the Australia-Asia Power Link (AAPowerLink), which is expected to provide low-cost green energy to customers in Darwin and Singapore. SunCable has completed the sale of its assets, including the shares in its operating subsidiaries, to Grok Ventures (Grok). Grok has […]
In response to the Electricity Supply and Reliability Check Up, the New South Wales Government has released its strategy to keep the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap on track. The Electricity Supply and Reliability Check Up was conducted by Cameron O’Reilly from Marsden Jacob Associates, and makes 54 recommendations to keep the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap on track. The government has accepted 50 […]
In Australia’s capital, key transmission work has been underway, where new housing subdivisions in the Molonglo Valley have required the relocation of 1,500 tonnes or 58km of 132kV cables underground and the removal of above ground transmission towers. Works such as these have many moving parts, requiring clear, upfront communication and a unified plan with all contractors to ensure works […]
Western Power has completed a major underground power project, removing 821 poles and 34km of overhead cable, and installing 542 new streetlights and around 53km of underground cable throughout St James, East Victoria Park and Bentley. Residents and businesses in the areas will now enjoy improved safety and reliability and transformed streetscapes. Western Power worked with the City of Canning […]
Marinus Link has submitted the first revenue proposal for its proposed transmission project to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), which outlines how Marinus Link will ensure recovery of costs for early works and has been released to the public for feedback. The revenue proposal is a requirement under the National Electricity Rules. Marinus Link CEO, Caroline Wykamp, said that the […]
Powerlink’s CopperString 2032 project is set to receive $1 billion in funding from the Queensland Government, with $594 million allocated to start construction over the 2023-24 financial year. The announcement was made at the official opening of Vecco Group’s $26 million Townsville Vanadium Battery Manufacturing Facility, which also received support through the Queensland Jobs Fund. A $20 million early works […]
Meeting strict and increasingly complex regulatory requirements is perhaps one of the greatest challenges faced by most modern utilities. The inherently high-risk nature of the sector means it is highly regulated across a number of facets, with vegetation management being an area requiring particular attention. Meeting the challenge of adhering to vegetation regulatory requirements is too complex a task to […]
Asset management is a key responsibility of utilities across Australia, and arguably the most important and critical of these is vegetation and tree clearing around powerlines. Vermeer’s range of equipment offers sustainable vegetation management choices for utilities, and recycling options for project byproducts. These days, individuals and organisations are being urged to consider their choices and make decisions with sustainability […]
From roads and railways to power lines and pipelines, encroaching vegetation can cause downtime, damage and catastrophes. Utility vegetation management remains a huge line item in most annual budgets, involving manual inspection of thousands of infrastructure miles. But it’s mainly reactive maintenance, leaving very little focus on prevention. Satellite technology provides a great opportunity to augment existing methods, offering more […]
Homes, businesses and communities across South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula now have a more secure power supply following the completion of Eyre Peninsula Link. Delivered by South Australia’s Transmission Network Service Provider (TNSP) ElectraNet, Eyre Peninsula Link is a new 270km double-circuit 132kV highvoltage transmission line from Cultana to Port Lincoln, via Yadnarie, constructed with 500 new transmission towers and upgrades […]
Energy Networks Australia has welcomed the Victorian Government’s decision to offer strategic benefit payments to landowners who host significant transmission infrastructure, compensating landowners for hosting transmission infrastructure on their property while also contributing to the energy transition. Energy Networks Australia CEO, Andrew Dillon, said Australia is working towards a net zero energy grid but is impeded by a lack of […]
The Queensland Government has announced the delivery of the $5 billion CopperString 2.0 project, which will connect renewable wind and solar resources with critical minerals mining and processing in North Queensland. The Copperstring 2.0 is a 1,100km, high voltage transmission line proposal to connect the North West Minerals Province to the National Electricity Market and will unlock Australia’s largest renewable […]
As part of electricity distributor Powercor’s year-round vegetation inspection and tree-cutting program, powerline inspections from the air are underway in the Bendigo region. The helicopters – operated by the network’s affiliate business, Beon Aerial Services – are fitted with advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to accurately identify the distances of trees to powerlines. This information is fed back […]
24 charges have been laid against United Energy for allowing trees to grow too close to powerlines in high bushfire risk areas. Contact between trees and powerlines can result in fires, electric shock and power outages, which can lead to property damage and, in serious cases, injury and death. Major electricity companies are required to keep trees and vegetation at […]
The Kaban Green Power Hub Project is the keystone project of the Northern Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (QREZ), which is set to unlock 500MW of renewables capacity as the first of its kind in the state. Powerlink Chief Executive, Paul Simshauser, said using the drone to string the new 85m-tall transmission towers was a first for Powerlink and highlighted the […]
Transgrid has undertaken extensive aerial inspections along 13,000km of transmission lines In preparation for bushfire season, and to ensure its adherence to fire mitigation measures. Transgrid conducted its bushfire safety program from February to November 2022 to ensure safe vegetation clearance and the condition of transmission assets. The assessments, which included 3D laser scanning, aerial imagery analysis, and helicopter inspections, […]
An Australian-first pole fixture device, developed by Northern Territory’s Power and Water, will allow for the replacement of up to 15,000 corroded power poles in Alice Springs; without interrupting consumer power supply. The bases of more than 850 power poles around the town now have already been replaced using an innovative pole fixture device that makes the work safer, faster […]
Transgrid has published its Transmission Annual Planning Report 2022 (TAPR) which supports calls for major transmission projects to be delivered faster and cheaper for consumers. Transgrid Chief Executive Officer, Brett Redman, said, “We believe urgent action is needed to accelerate the timeline for when renewables can deliver affordable, low-cost reliable energy to homes and businesses. “We are leaning into the […]
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has announced a temporary suspension of the spot market, due to electricity prices, demands and outages causing unforeseen challenges. “It has become impossible to continue operating the spot market while ensuring a secure and reliable supply of electricity for consumers in accordance with the National Energy Rules,” the AEMO said in a statement on […]
New technology which add an additional layer of bushfire protection to the powerline network is being trialled across central and western Victoria. Electricity distributor Powercor has installed a device near Woodend to test the technology called SWER Broken Conductor, which aims to instantly detect a broken powerline and cut electricity before the line hits the ground. The technology operates on […]
Electricity distributor Powercor has announced a trial to install innovative smart devices along its powerlines to reduce faults and improve reliability in a high fire-risk community. Powercor crews will install 25 new-generation Automatic Circuit Reclosers (ACRs) on powerlines protected by bushfire safety devices known as Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiters (REFCLs). Most of these ACRs are set to be installed […]
The Western Australian Government has committed $10.6 million to install underground power cables in the Hilton and Shelley areas. Works are already underway to remove more than 550 power poles and 28km of overhead lines. The $8 million Hilton project, which includes $7 million from Western Power and $1 million from the City of Fremantle, is being delivered by GENUS […]
Energy company crews have progressively disconnected properties in Maryborough to ensure public safety during both the floods and flood recovery efforts. Crews from Ergon Energy are actively monitoring the network in Maryborough to ensure the electrical safety of both residents and responders. The company announced that it will be working to restore network supply as soon as practically possible after […]
The Victorian Government has announced it will be investigating long-form reforms to the state’s electricity distribution network, after severe storms in 2021 left the state with prolonged power outages. The Electricity Distribution Network Resilience Review Expert Panel will lead the second phase of a review into the role of electricity businesses following the 9 June 2021 storm. The review was […]
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