$9 million-plus power boost for Coast homes and businesses

Thousands of homes and businesses on the northern Gold Coast will benefit from a $9.1 million upgrade to electricity supplies in the Southport area, Mines and Energy Minster Geoff Wilson said today.

The project will include installing a new 60MVA transformer at Energex’s Southport substation in Spendlove Street, increasing available electricity capacity in the area by 50 percent.

Mr Wilson said a substantial forecast increase in local power usage was the driving force behind the upgrade.

“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,” Mr Wilson said.

“Commercial and residential growth in the area and the increase in use of power-hungry consumer lifestyle products such as home air conditioning has resulted in a sharp increase in power use.”

Mr Wilson said models showed the electricity consumption in the area was set to rise by around 22 per cent in the next five years.

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

Member for Southport Peter Lawlor welcomed the upgrade.

“The State Government and Energex are committed to providing a reliable electricity network on the Gold Coast and throughout South East Queensland,” Mr Lawlor said.

“Importantly, the upgrade will give the area the means to expand and continue to create local jobs without placing undue pressure on the electrical network.”

Mr Lawlor said preliminary work for the new Southport transformer was completed last year along with the installation of underground power cables along Ferry and Queen Streets.

The bulk of the works ahead will be restricted to the substation itself and traffic wardens and barriers will be on site to ensure safety of the public.

Once completed, the upgrade will increased capacity will benefit around 16,000 homes and businesses in parts of Southport, Ashmore, Arundel, Labrador, Parkwood and Main Beach.

Work on the project is expected to be completed by June 2009.

On behalf of Energex, Mr Lawlor thanked local residents and motorists in advance for their patience during the necessary upgrades and said Enregex would work to minimise the impact of the works.

The project is part of a record $4 billion-plus five-year capital expenditure program currently being undertaken by Energex.

In the 2007-08 financial year, Energex is investing around $800 million on upgrades to its electricity network while a further $300 million-plus has been set aside to maintain and operate the network - an overall average of more than $3 million a day.

Media inquiries: Minister’s office 3224 7332