- Cook Labor Government awards contract for Clean Energy Link - East project to WA based businesses
- Project to create up to 600 local jobs and create local business opportunities
- New figures show Western Power spent more than $1.3 billion in 2025-26 with local businesses
- The utility worked with more than 290 local WA businesses, supporting local jobs
The Cook Labor Government is backing Western Australian jobs and local industry through a major contract award for Clean Energy Link - East (CEL - East), with WA-based businesses Acciona, GenusPlus, and UGL Engineering selected to deliver the project.
The project is expected to initially create 300 jobs, rising to 600 at the peak of construction.
Stage one of CEL - East includes new and upgraded transmission lines between Collie and Darkan to increase energy capacity from renewable energy zones in the eastern and south-eastern regions of the South WestInterconnected System to WA homes and businesses.
The contracts will deliver critical infrastructure needed including:
- a new 330kV terminal at Cordering;
- expansion of Shotts and Muja terminals;
- 38kmof330kV transmission linesfrom ShottstoCordering; and
- 54km of 330kV transmission lines from Muja toCordering.
When complete CEL - East is expected to unlock approximately 2.3GW of renewable energy capacity, the equivalent power usage of around one million homes.
Together, CEL - East and CEL - North form one of the largest infrastructure, technology, and construction programs in WA's history, transforming the electricity network for the future and incorporating renewables to put downward pressure on power prices.
The contract award comes as new figures released for the first time today show Western Power spent more than $1.3 billion with local businesses in 2025-2026, up from $850 million the previous financial year.
More than 290 local Western Australian businesses supplied the materials, services, and skills needed to build and maintain our grid.
One example is Geographe Underground Services, a Bunbury-based civil works company, which has partnered with Western Power to deliver the Housing and Infrastructure Growth Program in the Mundijong West Industrial Area.
Through this work the company has been able to provide 40 local jobs and expand its capability in horizontal directional drilling enabling Western Power to install cabling to connect power in the Mundijong area.
This follows a direction issued to utilities by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson last December.
The direction ensures Government Trading Enterprises prioritise local businesses to ensure Western Australian workers benefit from the pipeline of work that will flow from major upgrades to the South West Interconnected System.
The Cook Labor Government directions have helped local small and medium businesses win the vast majority of Western Power's $1.5 billion annual spend, supporting local jobs right across WA.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"We're building a State of Energy in Western Australia, securing affordable, reliable, and lower carbon energy for WA households and businesses through renewables, backed by battery storage and flexible WA gas.
"Affordable, reliable, and lower carbon energy is critical to keeping our economy strong and remaining the best place in the world to get a secure and well-paid job.
"Affordable, reliable, and lower carbon energy will power jobs in defence, advanced manufacturing, and the downstream processing of our minerals, including in green iron.
"That includes investing in Clean Energy Link - East to secure local jobs and opportunities for WA businesses while building a stronger energy system.
"Having granted it Priority Project status, we are fast-tracking its delivery, supporting up to 600 local jobs and ensuring our grid is ready for when we get out of State-owned coal by 2030."
As stated by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Clean Energy Link - East will deliver more affordable energy to WA households, while supporting local jobs and local businesses.
"The release of Western Power's local procurement figures for the first time shows that our plan is working - WA workers and WA businesses are delivering our clean energy transition.
"We have world class manufacturing capabilities here in WA, and that's why last year I issued a ministerial direction that Government Trading Enterprises needed to consider local businesses for works.
"We'll keep working to put WA first."
As stated by Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns:
"Collie has powered WA for generations, and the CEL - East expansion shows it will keep playing a vital role in our energy system for generations to come.
"The expansion of the Muja and Shotts terminals and the new 330kV transmission lines from both sites will keep Collie at the heart of the South West Interconnected System.
"As more renewable energy comes online, Collie will continue to play its part in powering homes, businesses and industry across WA."
