- Contracts awarded to UGL Engineering, Acciona, and GenusPlus for Clean Energy Link - North
- Major transmission network upgrades vital to WA's clean energy transition
- Work will unlock renewable energy capacity in northern section of theSouth West Interconnected System
- Key milestone in decarbonising the grid
The State Government today announced new contracts totalling $342 million as part of the largest investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in more than a decade - an important milestone in Western Australia's clean energy transition and phased coal exit by 2030.
The investment enables major upgrades to the northern section of the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), the electricity distribution network servicing WA fromGeraldton to Albany and east to Kalgoorlie.
The contracts signedwith GenusPlus, UGL Engineering, and Acciona arepart of a $584 million State Budget commitment for Western Power to undertake network upgrades and expansion as part of the Clean Energy Link - North program.
The Cook Government has now invested $1.6 billion in the State's electricity network expansion.
Clean Energy Link - North includes high-capacity transmission lines, terminals, substations, and transformers installed to unlock the flow of clean energy in the regions north of Perth.
The upgrade runs from Western Power's Northern Terminal in Malaga to Three Springs.
These contracts will deliver a 26.5km overhead 132kV transmission line from Wangara to Neerabup Terminal, new 132kV and 330kV terminals and line within the existing network, including existing line conversions and upgrades.
The work also includes the design and construction of new bays and associated lines at Regans Ford, construction of a new terminal at Three Springs and upgrading the existing transmission network in and around the Northern, Neerabup and Eneabba Terminals.
More than 400 jobs will be created, with the upgraded transmissionnetwork able to take more renewable energy to service households and businesses.
Clean Energy Link - North will make around 400MW of existing wind and another 1GW of new renewable energy available to customers across the SWISand allow for more clean energy generation in the Mid West.
1GW of energy is enough to power around 500,000 homes.
This increased capacity is more than the output from the two largest State-owned coal-fired power stations (Muja D and Collie) - of just under 750MW combined.
As stated by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Strengthening and expanding WA's main electricity network is fundamental in enabling industry and households to be powered by renewable energy from the Mid West.
"It will mean industry can reliably and safely connect their wind, solar and battery projects to the transmission network, increasing the amount of renewables on our system, with the aim of doubling them by 2030.
"Clean Energy Link - North is pivotal and the start of our accelerated planning for future transmission corridors to unlock renewable energy across the State.
"Work on the next phases of our infrastructure investments is well progressed and will be released later in the year.
"We're proud to have set a clear pathway for WA's energy transition which, in tandem with our plans to make more things here through our Made in WA plan, will bring more opportunities for businesses, job growth and economic diversification."
