Biggest ever power network boost for Sunshine Coast

Leading Queensland energy company ENERGEX today unveiled the Sunshine Coast’s biggest ever electricity project which underpins power demands for the booming coastal region for the foreseeable future.

The $40 million sub-transmission program was jointly launched by Energy Minister Geoff Wilson, Maroochy Mayor Cr Joe Natoli and ENERGEX Acting Chief Executive Officer Nev Bradford.

Mr Wilson said the project would be one of the biggest ever undertaken by ENERGEX and was the largest upgrade of its type for the Sunshine Coast.

“ENERGEX is midway through a record $3 billion-plus five-year capital expenditure program to upgrade and improve electricity supplies for the entire south east Queensland area,” said Mr Wilson.

“In the 2006/07 financial year ENERGEX is spending $643 million upgrading the electricity network while a further $263 million has been committed to maintenance and operation of the network – combined an average of almost $2.5 million a day.”

A key issue is meeting not only the electricity demands of today, but also planning for and building to meet the power needs of tomorrow and that is what this new project is all about.

“Every working day an average of almost 20 new houses and units are connected to the ENERGEX network on the SunshineCoast, with four additional commercial or industrial premises also requiring electricity supply – that’s every working day.”

Cr Natoli said that the latest population projections reveal that in the next 20 years Maroochy Shire and Caloundra City’s combined population would grow by about 217,000.

“That sort of growth puts pressure on all aspects of service delivery for all levels of government and the community,” said Cr Natoli.

“We are pleased that ENERGEX is working with the future in mind to address electricity supplies as part of the State Government’s Regional Infrastructure Plan for Maroochy Shire.

“A key component of this project will be to provide a major injection of electricity to the rapidly expanding areas north of the Maroochy River, including Marcoola, Twin Waters, Mudjimba, Pacific Paradise and Coolum.”

Mr Bradford said the project, when completed prior to the 2009/10 summer, would directly benefit approximately 149,000 homes and businesses and indirectly boost supplies to a further 175,000 electricity customers on the Sunshine Coast.

“Electricity use on the Sunshine Coast is growing at an average of six per cent a year as thousands of new houses and businesses are built and existing residents and industry continue to consume higher levels of energy. Analysis of the growth highlights that some areas of the Sunshine Coast are growing by up to 12% a year – easily one of the highest growth rates in Australia,” said Mr Bradford.

“In the next few years, ENERGEX plans to spend approximately $150 million on new electricity infrastructure for the SunshineCoast.

“This new powerline, when combined with a proposed new substation and associated network upgrades, will augment existing supplies and improve reliability and quality of electricity supplies to the local area and to the entire Sunshine Coast community.”

Mr Bradford said enormous amounts of planning had taken place for more than a year in a bid to determine the best options for ENERGEX to supply the electricity needed for the growing population.

Specialist consultants in town planning and environmental issues were commissioned to determine suitable options for a powerline to be constructed along a route between Palmwoods and West Maroochydore and to a new substation at Pacific Paradise.

“More than a dozen different powerline route options were investigated and then input was sought from community representatives regarding potential environmental and community impacts,” said Mr Bradford.

“A preferred corridor has been identified following those discussions and we will now be discussing the route with residents, landholders, community representatives and government agencies,” he said.

“ENERGEX is committed to ensuring the least possible impact to the broader community and will work closely with residential and local environmental groups on the project.

“Two community reference groups will be formed early in the New Year to enable direct input to the project team.”

Media Inquiries: Minister’s Office 3225 1819

ENERGEX 3407 4420