Power upgrade set to start for booming Sunshine Coast

Work is set to start on the second stage of a $1.2 million upgrade to the electricity network to reinforce power supply to homes and businesses in Maroochy Shire.

New power cables will be laid under the Mooloolah River to connect the existing electricity supplies at Kawana Waters to those at the Mooloolaba Spit.

Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said work would start this month with construction teams aiming to have the project completed before Christmas.

“All reasonable measures will be employed to reduce the impact of the project on the community and environment.

“The underground cable will travel from Harbour Parade, cross La-Balsa Park and continue underneath the Mooloolah River to connect the existing cables in Parkyn Parade.”

Mr Wilson said the cables would provide increased capacity in the local power network to cater for current and future growth in the Maroochy Shire.

The project will provide ENERGEX technicians with more options to restore power faster should unexpected damage occur to the network.

“Areas of the Sunshine Coast are growing by up to 12 percent a year – easily one of the biggest rises in Australia,” said Mr Wilson.

“Growth is not likely to slow in the foreseeable future with an additional 150,000 people expected to be living on the Sunshine Coast area in the next 15 years,” he said

Mr Wilson said that more than $160 million had been spent on electricity upgrade projects in ENERGEX’s North Coast area in the past two years.

The project is part of a record $4 billion-plus five-year capital expenditure program currently being undertaken by ENERGEX. ENERGEX is investing $827 million this year on upgrades to its electricity network while a further $306 million has been set aside to maintain and operate the network – that’s an overall average of more than $3 million a day.

Media inquiries: Brooke Johnson (07) 3224 7332