Targeted Underground Power Program: Frequently Asked Questions

The Targeted Underground Power Program (TUPP) was approved by the State Government in June 2022. It is an on-going, rolling program of work to continue the undergrounding of Perth’s residential power supply. It involves replacing the traditional overhead distribution poles and wires, which deliver electricity to existing homes, with underground infrastructure.

The program is implemented by Western Power, with oversight provided by the TUPP Steering Committee, comprising membership from Energy Policy WA, Western Power, the Department of Treasury and the WA Local Government Association. 

Western Power targets areas where the overhead network is due, or will soon be due, for replacement. Once Western Power has identified a project area it approaches the relevant Local Government with an offer to convert that area to underground power. Western Power makes offers to Local Governments in priority order, based on the need to upgrade the network. 

The benefits of underground power include:

• improved reliability and resilience of electricity supply (buried lines are safe from high winds, lightning and falling trees);
   
• enhanced streetscapes;
   
• increased property values;
   
• reduced street tree maintenance costs;
   
• increased tree canopy;
   
• improved street lighting leading to greater community safety, and
   
• greater capacity to support rooftop solar and emerging technologies like electric vehicles and home batteries.

Your Local Government will be able to tell you if they have been approached by Western Power with a proposed TUPP project, or if the Local Government itself is pursuing underground power through another program, such as a Retrospective Undergrounding Project (RUP).

Western Power’s website contains a list of current projects, and its Network Renewal Map also provides an indication of an area’s potential to be undergrounded. 
 

Local Governments that have been approached by Western Power with an offer of a TUPP project are responsible for communicating this with their residents and determining the community’s appetite for going ahead with the project, including the need to part-fund it. Each Local Government will have their own approach for engaging their community.

The Council’s elected members must pass a resolution approving a TUPP project before Western Power can commence work.   
 

Local Governments make the decision on whether to participate in an underground power project. This decision is informed by the level of homeowner support. Therefore, residents should let their Local Government know if they do or do not want to participate in an underground power project. 

It is important that Local Governments determine if the community supports underground power in their area, as it can have large financial implications.

If a Local Government decides not to progress with a TUPP project, Western Power will need to replace the existing overhead assets with new overhead assets. This is because the assets have been identified as needing replacement due to their age and/or condition.

As the new assets will have a 50-year lifespan, the area would not be eligible for underground power through TUPP for around another 50 years.
 

TUPP project costs can vary widely depending on the site-specific conditions, density of housing, amount of State Government support available and other factors. Each Local Government is responsible for managing its share of the undergrounding costs, including any property owner contribution.

The cost to homeowners typically ranges from $4,000-$7,000 per property. 
 

The State Government has committed $30.7 million over the first four years of TUPP. This funding is targeted towards lower socio-economic areas, which have historically been less able to participate in undergrounding programs. 

For more information on the State Government funding and how it is applied, please refer to section 4.2 of the TUPP Program Guidelines. 

Pensioners and seniors who have the following concession cards may be eligible for underground power rebates under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992:

• Pensioner Concession Card (up to 50% discount)
   
• State Concession Card (up to 50% discount)
   
• WA Seniors Card with a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (up to 50% discount)
   
• WA Seniors Card only (up to 25% discount, to a maximum of $100).

Holders of the above cards (except those who only have a WA Seniors Card) may also be eligible to defer paying their underground power charge. This means the charge remains as a debt on the property until the property is sold. It does not incur interest charges.

More information on pensioner and senior rebates and deferral is available from your Local Government. You can also access the Apply for a pensioners or seniors rebate web page or the Pensioners and Seniors Concessions Scheme fact sheet for more information.

In addition, individual Local Governments may offer their own payment methods and/or discounts.

Speak to your Local Government. It may be able to offer different payment options, such as spreading payments over a number of years. Many Local Governments have hardship policies to support those experiencing financial difficulties and vulnerability and may be able to assist you through this.

Pensioners and seniors may also be eligible to defer payment of their underground power charge until their property is sold. For more information on deferring payment, please refer to Question 10 above.
 

It does.

Western Power operates under various regulations, codes and legislation. This is to ensure customers receive a high-quality electricity service that is safe, reliable and is provided at a fair price.

Under these regulations, the money that Western Power would have spent replacing old overhead assets with an equivalent overhead network can instead be put towards the costs of undergrounding those assets. 

However, as retrospective conversion to underground power costs more than sustaining the overhead network, there is a cost difference. This difference is met by property owners and/or government contributions. 
 

This is the cable connecting the point of supply (typically a green dome) and a customer’s meter box. It is the property and responsibility of the property owner and as such the cost to underground it is charged to the customer. 

Transmission infrastructure includes the large towers, poles and cables that carry high voltage electricity the long distances from where it is generated to where it is needed. At substations, equipment called transformers decrease the voltage so it can be safely carried by the poles and wires of the distribution network seen on our streets. Some transmission infrastructure runs through the Perth metropolitan area.

Transmission infrastructure can be undergrounded. However, this is a very costly process and is therefore not included as part of residential underground power projects. Typically, establishing a transmission line as an underground cable will cost five to ten times that of the overhead line option. 

Some properties may have an existing underground customer mains connection between their meter box and the local network.

A TUPP project will underground customer mains connections where this has not already been done, as well as removing poles and wires from the streets and placing the network underground.

Local Governments can provide a discount to homeowners who already have an underground customer mains connection. 

Yes. Individual property owners can contact Western Power directly to discuss and arrange undergrounding power from the network to their property.

Local Governments who are not eligible through TUPP can still apply for underground power through Western Power’s Retrospective Undergrounding Projects (RUP). RUPs are generally not as cost effective for Local Governments and homeowners, as these assets are not at the end of their serviceable life. RUPs do not receive any State Government funding. 

Further information can be found on Western Power’s website.