- $708
million for electricity transmission in the South West Interconnected
System
- Transmission
upgrades essential to unlock WA's renewable energy potential
- PoweringWA
to coordinate electricity infrastructure and support local communities
- Important
step towards WA becoming a renewable energy powerhouse
The Cook Government will
invest more than $700 million to upgrade the State's main electricity network
and unlock renewable energy generation opportunities, putting Western Australia
on track to become a global renewable energy powerhouse.
Upgrades to WA's
electricity transmission network are essential to enable large-scale renewable
energy generation to connect to the grid, for both domestic use and to
facilitate new industries like renewable hydrogen.
The Cook Government will
deliver $575 million to increase capacity of the network's northern section, including a new 330kV double circuit
transmission line between Malaga and Pinjar, enabling massive renewable energy
generation projects in the Mid West to connect to the grid.
A further $133 million
will be invested towards planning for new lines, reinforcements and upgrades
around key industrial areas, including Kwinana and Collie, as well as upgrades
between Geraldton and Perth to support development at Oakajee.
Strengthening the northern transmission network is critical, with modelling
indicating a 10‑fold increase in renewable generation may be needed to meet
future low-emissions electricity demand.
To
support this transition, the Cook Government will establish PoweringWA to coordinate
the delivery of new electricity infrastructure at the pace needed for decarbonisation.
Located
within the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, PoweringWA
will coordinate
the build of transmission, renewable generation, and storage infrastructure.
It
will be responsible for planning, community consultation, industry liaison and
project management, ensuring appropriate consideration is given to
environmental, cultural and social issues, while delivering a reliable and low
emissions electricity supply for all users.
For more information, visit https://www.westernpower.com.au/resources-education/network-improvements/network-upgrade-projects/decarbonisation-work/
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"Put simply, there is no
energy transition without better transmission.
"This is the largest
investment in transmission
infrastructure in WA in more than 10 years and is an important step on the
transformation of our main electricity grid.
"Growing our electricity
network is critical to unlocking our renewable energy potential - to reduce our own
emissions, and to help countries across the region reduce theirs.
"This investment alone
will allow us to slash emissions by around 2.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide
per year, create significant job opportunities in the regions, and put our
State on the path to becoming a global renewable energy powerhouse."
Comments attributed to Energy Minister Bill Johnston:
"This Government
understands the need for tangible actions and delivery of infrastructure to
support decarbonisation of industry in the South West.
"By upgrading the northern
network, we can increase the output of existing wind generation as well as connect
around a gigawatt of new wind and solar generation capacity, which is almost
double the amount of large-scale renewables currently connected.
"Working closely with
industry and communities, we can ensure our main network delivers a reliable
supply of low-emissions electricity to meet our collective decarbonisation
goals."
