$51 million upgrade to Fraser Coast electricity infrastructure

A $51 million upgrade to help secure future power supplies for the Fraser Coast region has been given the go-ahead.

Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson the project included a $25 million Ergon Energy switching station at Aramara and a new $26 million Powerlink substation at Teebar Creek.

“The Community Infrastructure designation of the Aramara to Teebar Creek powerline route was approved after careful consideration of an assessment report submitted by Ergon Energy,” Mr Wilson said.

Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara welcomed the decision to boost the local network.

“Ergon Energy’s $51 million upgrade of the network is needed to meet the continued growth in the demand for power in the Fraser Coast area,” said Mr McNamara.

“This network in this area is the backbone of the system that supplies the Maryborough and Hervey Bay area.

“The investment will boost the capacity of the network and also deliver much more flexibility in the way Ergon Energy can switch supply around the various powerlines in the area,” he said.

Ergon Energy General Manager Operations Craig Harris said the submission to the Mines and Energy Minister requesting designation of the powerline route as Community Infrastructure land had been accompanied by a detailed assessment report.

“We completed a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and undertook extensive community consultation activities as part of our submission,” Mr Harris said.

“Preparatory work is already underway on the switching station site and construction of the new powerlines will begin as soon as possible.

“We aim to have both completed and operational next year”

Ergon Energy is delivering significant upgrades to its vast regional Queensland network through a record capital expenditure program of around $800 million this financial year.

Ergon Energy’s vast electricity network is one of the largest of its kind operated by a single distributor in the western world.

The network comprises more than 150,000 kilometres of electricity line, about 1 million power poles and 70,000 substations and extends from Birdsville in south west Queensland to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, over more than 1 million square kilometres or six times the size of Victoria.

Media inquiries: Minister’s Office Brooke Johnson (07) 3224 7332

Ergon Energy Andrew Fox (07) 4687 0412