❓ This parliamentary question scrutinises Western Power's electricity connection times, seeking detailed data on residential, commercial, and industrial connections, including delays, targets, outstanding applications, and causes of issues. The provided answers reveal significant delays and a surge in demand post-COVID-19.
AnsweredQoN 2290Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to connection times for electricity by Western Power and I ask:(a) For the 2024–25 financial year, what was the average connection time for new residential electricity connections undertaken by Western Power;(b) For the same period, what was the average connection time for new commercial and industrial electricity connections;(c) What were the longest and shortest connection timeframes recorded for:(i) residential connections; and(ii) commercial and industrial connections;(d) How many connection applications exceeded Western Power’s target or benchmark timeframes for:(i) residential connections; and(ii) commercial and industrial connections;(e) What are Western Power's current target timeframes or service standards for:(i) residential connections; and(ii) commercial and industrial connections;(f) How many connection applications are currently outstanding, and what is the average waiting time for:(i) residential connections; and(ii) commercial and industrial connections;(g) What are the primary causes of delays in connection timeframes, including but not limited to workforce constraints, material shortages, planning approvals, or network capacity limitations;(h) How many complaints has Western Power received regarding connection delays in the 2024–25 financial year;(i) What steps has the Government directed Western Power to take to reduce connection timeframes and improve service delivery;(j) Can the Minister provide a breakdown of connection timeframes across Western Australia by region, including but not limited to:(i) Wheatbelt;(ii) Goldfields-Esperance;(iii) Pilbara;(iv) Mid West;(v) South West; and(vi) Perth metropolitan area;(k) For each region listed, please provide:(i) the number of residential connections completed;(ii) the average residential connection time;(iii) the number of commercial and industrial connections completed;(iv) the average commercial and industrial connection time; and(v) the number of outstanding applications;(l) Can the Minister provide a list of towns or localities within each region where connection timeframes exceeded target benchmarks;(m) What is the average cost to applicants for:(i) residential connections; and(ii) commercial and industrial connections; and(n) Has Western Power experienced any increase in connection demand over the past three financial years, and how has this impacted delivery timeframes?
I refer to connection times for electricity by Western Power and I ask:
(a) For the 2024–25 financial year, what was the average connection time for new residential electricity connections undertaken by Western Power;
(b) For the same period, what was the average connection time for new commercial and industrial electricity connections;
(c) What were the longest and shortest connection timeframes recorded for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(d) How many connection applications exceeded Western Power’s target or benchmark timeframes for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(e) What are Western Power's current target timeframes or service standards for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(f) How many connection applications are currently outstanding, and what is the average waiting time for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(g) What are the primary causes of delays in connection timeframes, including but not limited to workforce constraints, material shortages, planning approvals, or network capacity limitations;
(h) How many complaints has Western Power received regarding connection delays in the 2024–25 financial year;
(i) What steps has the Government directed Western Power to take to reduce connection timeframes and improve service delivery;
(j) Can the Minister provide a breakdown of connection timeframes across Western Australia by region, including but not limited to:
(i) Wheatbelt;
(ii) Goldfields-Esperance;
(iii) Pilbara;
(iv) Mid West;
(v) South West; and
(vi) Perth metropolitan area;
(k) For each region listed, please provide:
(i) the number of residential connections completed;
(ii) the average residential connection time;
(iii) the number of commercial and industrial connections completed;
(iv) the average commercial and industrial connection time; and
(v) the number of outstanding applications;
(l) Can the Minister provide a list of towns or localities within each region where connection timeframes exceeded target benchmarks;
(m) What is the average cost to applicants for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections; and
(n) Has Western Power experienced any increase in connection demand over the past three financial years, and how has this impacted delivery timeframes?
I refer to connection times for electricity by Western Power and I ask:
(a) For the 2024–25 financial year, what was the average connection time for new residential electricity connections undertaken by Western Power;
(b) For the same period, what was the average connection time for new commercial and industrial electricity connections;
(c) What were the longest and shortest connection timeframes recorded for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(d) How many connection applications exceeded Western Power’s target or benchmark timeframes for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(e) What are Western Power's current target timeframes or service standards for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(f) How many connection applications are currently outstanding, and what is the average waiting time for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections;
(g) What are the primary causes of delays in connection timeframes, including but not limited to workforce constraints, material shortages, planning approvals, or network capacity limitations;
(h) How many complaints has Western Power received regarding connection delays in the 2024–25 financial year;
(i) What steps has the Government directed Western Power to take to reduce connection timeframes and improve service delivery;
(j) Can the Minister provide a breakdown of connection timeframes across Western Australia by region, including but not limited to:
(i) Wheatbelt;
(ii) Goldfields-Esperance;
(iii) Pilbara;
(iv) Mid West;
(v) South West; and
(vi) Perth metropolitan area;
(k) For each region listed, please provide:
(i) the number of residential connections completed;
(ii) the average residential connection time;
(iii) the number of commercial and industrial connections completed;
(iv) the average commercial and industrial connection time; and
(v) the number of outstanding applications;
(l) Can the Minister provide a list of towns or localities within each region where connection timeframes exceeded target benchmarks;
(m) What is the average cost to applicants for:
(i) residential connections; and
(ii) commercial and industrial connections; and
(n) Has Western Power experienced any increase in connection demand over the past three financial years, and how has this impacted delivery timeframes?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 June 2026
Responded by
Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation
Response time
10 days
(a) 263 days.
(b) 549 days.
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g) Customer connection timeframes increased due to a surge in applications following COVID-19, which exceeded historical demand. This was compounded by international supply chain constraints and increasing project complexity.
(h) 402
(i) Western Power has increased internal resources and supplemented with external design vendors to significantly boost design engineering capacity. An escalation and prioritisation framework has been introduced, overseen by a weekly steering committee to track key projects and ensure coordinated delivery with customers. A quality assurance framework has also been implemented, including faster design reviews for simpler projects.
(j - l) Western Power does not categorise data in the form the Member has requested. (m) Costs vary depending on the specific needs/request of each customer.
(n) Western Power has experienced a sustained increase in connection demand over the past three years.
(b) 549 days.
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g) Customer connection timeframes increased due to a surge in applications following COVID-19, which exceeded historical demand. This was compounded by international supply chain constraints and increasing project complexity.
(h) 402
(i) Western Power has increased internal resources and supplemented with external design vendors to significantly boost design engineering capacity. An escalation and prioritisation framework has been introduced, overseen by a weekly steering committee to track key projects and ensure coordinated delivery with customers. A quality assurance framework has also been implemented, including faster design reviews for simpler projects.
(j - l) Western Power does not categorise data in the form the Member has requested. (m) Costs vary depending on the specific needs/request of each customer.
(n) Western Power has experienced a sustained increase in connection demand over the past three years.
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