Summer ready

As the risk of heatwaves and bushfires increases, we’ve taken steps to make sure the network is as prepared as possible for extreme weather conditions. Our crews carry out important maintenance and upgrade works to improve network resilience and reduce the risk of power interruptions during summer. 

We’ve mobilised many teams and ample resources to meet what is likely to be a challenging period ahead. For the 2024/25 summer period, we’re investing $229 million in preparation efforts, with $136 million to be spent on pole replacements, $61 million on conductor replacements and $32 million on vegetation management. 

From deploying our 24-strong fleet of drones to adjusting the safety settings on assets in bushfire risk areas, we’ve harnessed the expertise that exists across our operations to make community safety our top priority. 

The combination of extreme heat and dry conditions are a frequent cause of concern for those who live in bushfire risk areas as well as for the broader community. 

You can help by keeping trees away from powerlines on your property and maintaining clearance zones. 

If you see a fallen or damaged powerline or an emergency situation affecting the electricity network, stay clear and make the safe call on 13 13 51. If you see a spark or fire in vegetation, no matter how small, call 000 immediately. 

We also partner with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to provide power outage information on the Emergency WA website to report on emergency incidents that impact significant sections of the network. 

During the hot summer months, electricity consumption is often at its highest. These peak demand periods usually occur between 5pm and 9pm when most people arrive home to switch on their air conditioner and start using household appliances. 

It comes as no surprise that air con use is the largest contributor and accounts for nearly one third of the power consumed on the hottest days in January, February and March. 

The challenges of peak demand can be further exacerbated by higher temperatures directly impacting network infrastructure. For example, network transmission capacity can be compromised due to sagging powerlines.  

In the event of sustained high temperatures at night, the network is continually subject to heat-related stress and won’t get much respite before the next day. 

In the event of multiple days of high demand, we’ve several measures in place to proactively manage the situation. We cancel planned works where necessary, and in the event of unplanned outages we shore up additional customer support staff, network controllers and ensure all available fault and repair crews are ready. 

What can you do during peak demand?

To take pressure off the network, you can help by reducing your energy use and using appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines outside of peak hours. If you can, we also recommend setting your air conditioner to 24 degrees during those hot summer days. 

Other actions you can take include using your pool pump in the middle of day and, if you have solar panels, try setting your timer to run appliances in the middle of the day to get the most from the sun.