A significant milestone has been reached with 70 per cent of the Perth network now underground benefitting more homes and businesses.
Providing numerous benefits to Western Australians, around 23,000km of underground cable has been installed improving network resilience against extreme weather events and providing greater power supply capacity to support emerging technologies such as electric vehicles.
Construction has also recently started on the first Targeted Underground Power Program (TUPP) project in the City of Melville which will see underground power connected to 1,561 homes and businesses.
Western Power Executive Manager of Asset Operations Zane Christmas said this specific project will transform the streetscapes with the removal of 21.5 kilometres of overhead cable, 553 poles, and the installation of 313 new LED streetlights.
“The Melville-Willagee project is the first of 33 TUPP projects to start construction across 14 local governments that will see up to 58,000 homes and businesses transition from poles and wires to underground power,” Mr Christmas said.
“This is an exciting milestone in the delivery of underground power and demonstrates our commitment to building a reliable and resilient power network,” he said.
“The underground network offers greater resilience against environmental impacts with around 60% less unplanned outages than the overhead network.”
In addition to supporting emerging clean energy, State Government supported underground power projects enable greener streetscapes with less overhead poles and wires and reduce maintenance costs for local governments and residents.
Since 1996, Western Power in collaboration with local governments, has been transitioning the Perth distribution network underground with around 108,000 homes and businesses now converted through State Government supported underground power programs.