❓ A parliamentary question regarding the allocation of a $3.5 billion energy infrastructure fund, focusing on pole-top fire reduction, edge-of-grid community upgrades (specifically Ravensthorpe), regional vs. metropolitan expenditure breakdown, and capacity improvements in growing regional areas. The answer details specific allocations and planned works.
AnsweredQoN 2364Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) how much of the $3.5 billion will go towards reducing the incidence of pole-top fires;
(b) if this money will be used to fund the ‘biggest works program ever undertaken by Western Power’ as the Minister’s press release of 22 April states, will any funds be directed to upgrading edge-of-grid communities, such as Ravensthorpe;
(c) will the Minister provide a breakdown of this planned expenditure to show the allocation for regional areas and metropolitan Perth; and
(d) will the Minister allocate any of these funds to improve capacity in regional areas experiencing significant residential and industrial growth?
(b) if this money will be used to fund the ‘biggest works program ever undertaken by Western Power’ as the Minister’s press release of 22 April states, will any funds be directed to upgrading edge-of-grid communities, such as Ravensthorpe;
(c) will the Minister provide a breakdown of this planned expenditure to show the allocation for regional areas and metropolitan Perth; and
(d) will the Minister allocate any of these funds to improve capacity in regional areas experiencing significant residential and industrial growth?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2007
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
63 days
Western Power has provided the Minister for Energy with the following response
a)
$9.6 million will be spent on silicone coating in the SWIS over the next two years. Approximately $89 million will be spent on replacing poles and pole top hardware over the next two years.
b)
A Distribution Headworks Policy is being considered by Cabinet to determine the issue of funding development that triggers new network infrastructure at the edge of grid. In addition work is planned for towns at the edge of the SWIS to improve reliability and capacity, including:
Ravensthorpe
Three generators have been deployed to Ravensthorpe to provide support to the local electricity network from June 2007. The generators will automatically 'switch-on' if the capacity of the local electricity network is exceeded, ensuring continuity of supply throughout the winter peak period.
Over the next 12-18 months, a 'peak lopping' power station will be established at the old power station site in Ravensthorpe. The generators will provide adequate additional power capacity to meet demand in the area for the next 8 -10 years.
The economic case for a transmission solution verus continued operation of the embedded generators will be reviewed regularly.
Denmark/Walpole
$14 million of work is currently being undertaken in Denmark and Walpole. It will be completed over the next five years and will improve power reliability and increase capacity of supply to the area.
The work includes $2 million to install new regulators and upgrade the existing powerline from the Albany substation. This work will be done in two stages to be completed by March 2008. $10 million will be spent on establishing a new powerline to Denmark by 2012.
$2 million has been budgeted on reliability improvement measures over the next 12-18 months.
Bremer Bay
Bremer Bay was reconnected to the SWIS at the end of April 2007, via the Willyung powerline from Albany.
The powerline will be reinforced with several modifications to help improve power quality. This work will include relocating a voltage regulator from Green Range to a location closer to Albany, installing two additional capacitor banks and converting a section of powerline from 22 kV to 33 kV. This work has already begun and is scheduled to be completed by June 2008. It will cost an estimated $0.9 million.
The scheduled works to improve power quality will result in increased capacity. Western Power anticipates the additional capacity will be adequate to service the
development applications that are currently delayed - as well as any new ones - for at least the next two years. After this, 'peak lopping' is the most efficient, cost-effective solution to increase power capacity in Bremer Bay until 2012-13, when the network will be expanded as necessary.
The peak lopping solution involves utilising the wind/diesel power generators that are currently supplying the town's electricity to support the local network. The generators will be 'switched-on' to supply additional electricity whenever the capacity of the local network is exceeded (ie. during peak usage times).
c)
The $3.5 billion will be allocated to both operating costs and capital expenditure, to upgrades specific to metropolitan and regional areas and to programs that impact many areas within the SWIS. The percentage of funding allocated is:
- Perth metropolitan area 54%
- South Country 27%
- North Country 19%
Significant projects that improve reliability, and that impact metropolitan and regional areas include:
SWIS wide projects
· $93 million on underground power. Forty-five percent of the metropolitan area now has underground power - more than any other Australian capital city. The State Government has set a 50 percent target by 2010.
· $60 million to improve the network in specifically targeted areas with poor reliability. Identification of these areas is ongoing and the work includes general maintenance, undergrounding or replacing lines or installing new equipment.
· $40 million to replace wood poles. Steel poles will be used as part of this replacement program.
· $26 million to upgrade the network in regional areas as part of the Rural Power Improvement Program - a program that aims to improve reliability for rural customers by reducing the frequency and duration of power interruptions.
· $9.6 million to coat pole-top equipment with silicon to reduce fires.
· $4.5 million to fix faulty streetlights.
Major projects
· $54.8 million to upgrade the Southern Terminal to improve capacity and reliability across the southern suburbs from Riverton and Canning Vale in the north to Cockburn Cement in the west and Armadale, Gosnells and Byford in the south. This upgrade is the biggest and most expensive commitment to be undertaken by Western Power in the metropolitan area over the next four years.
· $39 million to build a new terminal substation at Neerabup to meet the demand for electricity from the growing northern suburbs. This project represents a strong commitment to the future of the region.
· $24.9 million for a major upgrade of the transmission line that runs between Busselton and Margaret River and will supply power to the rapidly expanding Margaret River area, which will meet increased demand for power and improve reliability.
New substations to be built at
· Joondanna ($15.5 million),
· Warwick ($19 million),
· Wangara ($8.3 million),
· Joondalup ($7 million),
· Henley Brook ($13.7 million) and $3.3 million for a second transformer,
· Thornlie ($8 million),
· Willetton ($6.6 million),
· Bibra Lake ($10.9 million) and $3.5 million for a second transformer
· Bentley ($15.6 million)
· Kewdale ($8 million) - to meet the expected load growth rate, particularly from industrial loads in Belmont and Welshpool.
· Upgrade Cottesloe substation - ($13.5 million)
Additional substation transformers
· $4.7 million at Rivervale substation - third transformer
· $2.8 million at Kalamunda substation - third transformer
· $4.1 million at Muchea substation - third transformer
· $3.2 million at Padbury substation - third transformer
· $2.6 million at Clarkson substation - second transformer
· $4 million at the Busselton substation - new transformer
· $2.2 million at Mt Barker substation - second transformer
· $3.7 million Darlington substation - third transformer
· $3.2 million at Murdoch substation - second transformer
d)
See answer provided for part B.
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a)
$9.6 million will be spent on silicone coating in the SWIS over the next two years. Approximately $89 million will be spent on replacing poles and pole top hardware over the next two years.
b)
A Distribution Headworks Policy is being considered by Cabinet to determine the issue of funding development that triggers new network infrastructure at the edge of grid. In addition work is planned for towns at the edge of the SWIS to improve reliability and capacity, including:
Ravensthorpe
Three generators have been deployed to Ravensthorpe to provide support to the local electricity network from June 2007. The generators will automatically 'switch-on' if the capacity of the local electricity network is exceeded, ensuring continuity of supply throughout the winter peak period.
Over the next 12-18 months, a 'peak lopping' power station will be established at the old power station site in Ravensthorpe. The generators will provide adequate additional power capacity to meet demand in the area for the next 8 -10 years.
The economic case for a transmission solution verus continued operation of the embedded generators will be reviewed regularly.
Denmark/Walpole
$14 million of work is currently being undertaken in Denmark and Walpole. It will be completed over the next five years and will improve power reliability and increase capacity of supply to the area.
The work includes $2 million to install new regulators and upgrade the existing powerline from the Albany substation. This work will be done in two stages to be completed by March 2008. $10 million will be spent on establishing a new powerline to Denmark by 2012.
$2 million has been budgeted on reliability improvement measures over the next 12-18 months.
Bremer Bay
Bremer Bay was reconnected to the SWIS at the end of April 2007, via the Willyung powerline from Albany.
The powerline will be reinforced with several modifications to help improve power quality. This work will include relocating a voltage regulator from Green Range to a location closer to Albany, installing two additional capacitor banks and converting a section of powerline from 22 kV to 33 kV. This work has already begun and is scheduled to be completed by June 2008. It will cost an estimated $0.9 million.
The scheduled works to improve power quality will result in increased capacity. Western Power anticipates the additional capacity will be adequate to service the
development applications that are currently delayed - as well as any new ones - for at least the next two years. After this, 'peak lopping' is the most efficient, cost-effective solution to increase power capacity in Bremer Bay until 2012-13, when the network will be expanded as necessary.
The peak lopping solution involves utilising the wind/diesel power generators that are currently supplying the town's electricity to support the local network. The generators will be 'switched-on' to supply additional electricity whenever the capacity of the local network is exceeded (ie. during peak usage times).
c)
The $3.5 billion will be allocated to both operating costs and capital expenditure, to upgrades specific to metropolitan and regional areas and to programs that impact many areas within the SWIS. The percentage of funding allocated is:
- Perth metropolitan area 54%
- South Country 27%
- North Country 19%
Significant projects that improve reliability, and that impact metropolitan and regional areas include:
SWIS wide projects
· $93 million on underground power. Forty-five percent of the metropolitan area now has underground power - more than any other Australian capital city. The State Government has set a 50 percent target by 2010.
· $60 million to improve the network in specifically targeted areas with poor reliability. Identification of these areas is ongoing and the work includes general maintenance, undergrounding or replacing lines or installing new equipment.
· $40 million to replace wood poles. Steel poles will be used as part of this replacement program.
· $26 million to upgrade the network in regional areas as part of the Rural Power Improvement Program - a program that aims to improve reliability for rural customers by reducing the frequency and duration of power interruptions.
· $9.6 million to coat pole-top equipment with silicon to reduce fires.
· $4.5 million to fix faulty streetlights.
Major projects
· $54.8 million to upgrade the Southern Terminal to improve capacity and reliability across the southern suburbs from Riverton and Canning Vale in the north to Cockburn Cement in the west and Armadale, Gosnells and Byford in the south. This upgrade is the biggest and most expensive commitment to be undertaken by Western Power in the metropolitan area over the next four years.
· $39 million to build a new terminal substation at Neerabup to meet the demand for electricity from the growing northern suburbs. This project represents a strong commitment to the future of the region.
· $24.9 million for a major upgrade of the transmission line that runs between Busselton and Margaret River and will supply power to the rapidly expanding Margaret River area, which will meet increased demand for power and improve reliability.
New substations to be built at
· Joondanna ($15.5 million),
· Warwick ($19 million),
· Wangara ($8.3 million),
· Joondalup ($7 million),
· Henley Brook ($13.7 million) and $3.3 million for a second transformer,
· Thornlie ($8 million),
· Willetton ($6.6 million),
· Bibra Lake ($10.9 million) and $3.5 million for a second transformer
· Bentley ($15.6 million)
· Kewdale ($8 million) - to meet the expected load growth rate, particularly from industrial loads in Belmont and Welshpool.
· Upgrade Cottesloe substation - ($13.5 million)
Additional substation transformers
· $4.7 million at Rivervale substation - third transformer
· $2.8 million at Kalamunda substation - third transformer
· $4.1 million at Muchea substation - third transformer
· $3.2 million at Padbury substation - third transformer
· $2.6 million at Clarkson substation - second transformer
· $4 million at the Busselton substation - new transformer
· $2.2 million at Mt Barker substation - second transformer
· $3.7 million Darlington substation - third transformer
· $3.2 million at Murdoch substation - second transformer
d)
See answer provided for part B.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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