Consultation

Every five years Western Power does an access arrangement review. This is our opportunity to engage with the community to understand what energy services and solutions they value and need, now and into the future, so we can revise the services we offer and update the prices we charge for these services. We submit our plans to the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA), who decide how much revenue we’re allowed to recover from customers to enable us to operate and invest in the network for the next five years.

Our fifth access arrangement proposal (AA5) is due on 1 February 2022 and covers the five-year period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2027. The proposal will outline our key activities and investments over the AA5 period, and the network prices we intend to charge. It will also discuss and review what we’ve delivered over the previous access arrangement period (AA4).

Have your say

To develop our access arrangement, we engaged with a broad range of the community, to incorporate their views into our proposal.

We want to understand our community’s attitudes towards electricity, network performance and safety, tariff preferences, affordability of services, future opportunities, new technologies, climate change and access to renewables.

We engaged Kantar Public to conduct the research on our behalf. Kantar Public are a large dedicated social research and consulting agency in Australia. They provide guidance and support for companies like Western Power, to help them better understand individuals, communities and population groups, and advise on delivery improvement, better engagement, advertising and brand strategy where required.

We used a range of methods including online surveys, focus groups, interviews and community reference groups, in both the metro area and regional communities to hear from a broad range of our customers.

Aside from some further work with our existing reference groups, our customer and community engagement program was completed in mid-2021. The engagement findings are already helping shape our Access Arrangement submission.

Connecting our customers and communities

Western Power is working to deliver a bright future for East Perth by investing in the electricity network that supplies the community.

Perth is growing rapidly, with new residential developments, commercial spaces and entertainment precincts. Safe, reliable power is vital to support this growth. To meet the changing needs of our customers, we are continually upgrading our electricity infrastructure.

As part of this ongoing improvement, we are our ageing Forrest Avenue Substation (see coloured square on the map below). This means that in early 2022, customers currently supplied with electricity via the Forrest Avenue Substation will instead receive their supply via the recently upgraded Joel Terrace Substation, located near the old East Perth station.

March 2021 update

Stage 9 – work in this section has been completed which consisted of directional drilling under the Kwinana Freeway.

Stage 2 – construction is estimated to start in March/April with expected completion in August 2021. Notification letters with construction dates will be posted to all impacted residents through each section of this stage.   

East Parade & Kensington Street intersection - We're currently working with Main Roads WA to establish a construction timeframe.

About the project

The project involves installing six underground cables between the Forrest Avenue Substation and Joel Terrace Substation.

• Underground ducts are already installed to contain two of these cables, as indicated by the orange line in the map.
• The remaining four cables will be installed in new ducts along a separate cable route through a narrow open trench, as indicated by the line route on the map below.

The work to excavate the trench and to install the cable will be completed in short sections to minimise impact on residents, businesses and road users. After the work is complete, we will reinstate the area to equal or better than original condition. This will also comply with local government and Main Roads requirements. 

We are in consultation with the City of Perth, City of Vincent, Public Transport Authority and Main Roads WA to determine the best way to carry out the work with the least disruption and to obtain all the necessary approvals.

Expected timing

• Stage 1. Start Joel Terrace, Summers Street to East Perth Power Station – 6 weeks
• Stage 2. Jewell Lane, Tully Rd, Renaissance Ave, Kensington Street to the corner of East Parade – 5 weeks
• Stage 3. Corner of Kensington Street and East Parade to Fielder Street – 4 weeks
• Stage 4. Fielder Street, Brown Street, Glyde Street to Brook Street – 3 weeks
• Stage 5. Brook Street, Royal Street, Leahy Walk to Wittenoom Street – 3 weeks
• Stage 6. Wittenoom Street, Plain Street to Wellington Street – 3 weeks
• Stage 7. Wellington Street, Forrest Avenue and Waterloo Crescent – 3 weeks
• Stage 8. Waterloo Crescent, Trafalgar Road, Royal Street, Plain Street to Kensington Street – 3 weeks
• Stage 9. Under Graham Farmer Freeway – works completed

Example of open trench excavation

How this work may affect you

We will work hard to keep disruptions to a minimum, however you may notice the following during works in your area:

• some noise for short periods
• parking bay closures and parking restrictions
• some traffic lane closures, with lower speed limits in place to ensure safety
• some night and weekend work to minimise disruption to traffic and some businesses.

The work to excavate the trench and install the cable will be completed in short sections to minimise impact on residents, businesses and road users.

Our partner

Power On Cabling will be undertaking the work on behalf of Western Power.

They have been providing specialist construction services to the energy industry since 2008.

Power On Cabling has completed similar projects throughout Claremont, Nedlands and Cottlesloe and in the Perth CBD.

More information

• Project brochure: Powering East Perth
• For further project information, please email us or call (08) 9326 4850
• Urgent out of hours contact: 13 13 51
• If you have a speech or hearing difficulty, contact us through the National Relay Service: 1800 13 13 51
• Interpreter Services: 13 14 50