Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said today Ergon Energy would spend $113.7 million on capital works in North Queensland in the 2008-09 financial year.

“The Bligh Government is spending $1.9 million every hour of every day to build our state’s infrastructure,” he said.

“We are planning for and managing our growth by investing in regional Queensland’s electricity network.”

Mr Wilson said major works in the North would include:

·Work starting on more than $40 million worth of new power infrastructure at Abbott Point near Bowen.

·The new Belgian Gardens and Ooonoonba substations in Townsville, together worth more than $41 million

The planned spend is part of Ergon Energy’s $1.07 billion capital works program, the largest in the company’s history.

Installing network control technology would also reduce the impacts of power interruptions, he said.

Member for Townsville Mike Reynolds welcomed the planned expenditure, saying it would provide a more reliable power supply for local communities across the region.

“We’re investing in more than electricity infrastructure, we’re investing in the people who live and work in North Queensland.”

The Ergon Energy 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 3224 7332.