Carlisle North has become the first of three suburbs in the Town of Victoria Park in Western Australia to transition from overhead to underground power.
To mark the completion of the State Underground Power Program, WA Energy Minister, Bill Johnston, attended a last pole ceremony on Friday with representatives from Town and Western Power.
“The State Underground Power Program provides safe and reliable electricity to local residents, and helps cut operating and maintenance costs for local governments, such as regular tree pruning,” said Mr Johnston.
“We are currently working with Western Power and other local governments to plan and develop similar initiatives across the Perth metropolitan areas.
“The McGowan Government is committed to exploring further opportunities for innovation and using emerging technologies, which is enabled through the State Underground Power Program.
“This can support ‘smart city’ strategies, including the growing uptake of electric vehicles and increasing capacity for energy trading.”
The project, which covers 933 properties, involved the removal of 222 wooden poles and conductors, as well as 12 kilometres of overhead cable.
Western Power installed more than 20 kilometres of cable, 11 ground-mounted transformer and switchgear units and 177 LED streetlights.
“The completion of Carlisle North is the first significant milestone for the State Underground Power Program in the Town of Victoria Park,” said Town of Victoria Park Mayor, Karen Vernon.
Similar projects are underway in Victoria Park East and Victoria Park West, and are due for completion in the coming months.
“We are furthering our ambitions to provide efficient and reliable power for our residents through the delivery of similar underground power projects in Victoria Park East and West, which will enable us to deliver underground power across the entire local government area,” said Mayor Vernon.
“We look forward to all of our residents enjoying the many benefits of underground power including verge trees being allowed to grow to their full potential, improving the Town’s urban canopy and making our areas more attractive for residents and visitors alike.”
A further seven underground power programs are in progress in South Perth, Manning, Collier, Maylands Central, Shelley West, South Lake East and Kardinya South.
To date, 93 underground power programs have been completed providing electricity to more than 90,000 Perth homes.
“Underground power has benefits beyond the provision of safe and reliable electricity,” said Victoria Park MLA, Hannah Beazley.
“It also improves public safety, enhances street aesthetics and can increase property value for homeowners.
“This is an exciting moment for Carlisle residents and we look forward to other suburbs celebrating their transition to underground in the near future.”
