Gold Coast substation ready for action

A $30 million upgrade to a substation on the Gold Coast has finished has been completed, Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said today.

“The high voltage substation at Molendinar is ready for action,” Mr Wilson said.

“Electricity demand in the South East Queensland area has increased by 38% in the past five years.

“The growth is forecast to continue at a high rate into the future.

“Powerlink and ENERGEX have worked to plan for and deliver an upgrade of an existing substation at Molendinar to meet continued electricity demand growth in the future,” he said.

Member for Gaven Phil Gray welcomed the completion of the project which placed the Coast ahead of the game when it came to growth in the region.

“Powerlink and ENERGEX are meeting the challenge of continuing high growth in electricity demand,” Mr Gray said.

“A series of projects are being planned or are currently underway, while other projects were recently completed.

“The significant investment at Molendinar Substation will build on the other work that Powerlink and ENERGEX have undertaken in the area, including Powerlink’s $70 million transmission line project from Greenbank to Maudsland, and the various ENERGEX substation and line upgrades,” he said.

Powerlink Chief Executive, Gordon Jardine said the upgrade of the Molendinar Substation was a significant project with several technical challenges.

“The project included removing aged equipment due for replacement, and rebuilding the 110 kilovolt (kV) section of the substation, including installing two new 110kV transformers,” he said.

“This was a major project that Powerlink, ENERGEX and contractors had to implement and we thank the local community and businesses for their patience during this work.”

ENERGEX Chief Executive Officer, Terry Effeney said homes and business in suburbs including Arundel, Parkwood, Ernest, Molendinar, Nerang, Ashmore, Benowa and Carrara would benefit from the increased electricity capacity and reliability delivered in the project.

ENERGEX’s works in the area have included upgrades at the Ashmore Road substation as well as underground cables being laid in surrounding streets.

“ENERGEX thanks residents and motorists for their patience while these works have been underway.

“The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing parts of ENERGEX’s South East Queensland distribution area with an average of almost 150 new houses, units and commercial premises connecting to the local electricity network every week,” he said.

“To meet this massive growth in the past three years ENERGEX has spent more than $330 million upgrading the region’s electricity network.”

Media inquiries: Minister's Office (07) 3224 7332