City of Mandurah network upgrades
We’re carrying out essential upgrades and maintenance in the Dawesville area. The second stage, currently in construction, and is expected to be finalised by mid-2024.
We recognise residents endured challenging power reliability over the Christmas period in 2021, and have been working consistently since then to improve network capacity reinforcement.
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Planned network upgrades
- 61.4km of new cable
- Pole replacements
- Pole reinforcements
- Replace Ring Main Units
- Maintain ground mounted switchgear
- Replace ground mounted switchgear
- Replace poled top transformers
Project timeline
Overall works and timelines are subject to change for critical reasons including network emergencies, weather conditions, faults and technical reasons.
Initial reinforcements
1
Completed 2022
Stage 1 reinforcement works
2
Completion due April 2024
Stage 2 reinforcement work
3
Completion due Sept 2024
Dawesville network maintenance
| Type of works | FY 21/22 | FY 22/23 | FY23/24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completed | Completed | Completed | Upcoming | |
| Pole replacements | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Pole reinforcements | 18 | 13 | 3 | 3 |
| Replace Ring Main Units | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Maintain ground mounted switchgear | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Replace ground mounted switchgear | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Replace pole top transformers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other maintenance activities | 15 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
City of Mandurah network upgrades
| Type of works | FY 21/22 | FY 22/23 | FY 24/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial reinforcement works | Stage 1 reinforcement works | Stage 2 reinforcement works | |
| New cable | 5.8km | 20.8km | 34.8km |
| Upgrade Ring Main Units | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| Feeders |
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| Status | Completed | In progress, completion due April 2024 | Completion due Sept 2024 |
Network challenges
Difficult environment conditions
Coastal environments present a unique set of challenges for electrical networks due to their harsh and corrosive conditions. The combination of saltwater exposure, high humidity, strong winds, and the constant threat of extreme weather events poses significant risks to the reliability and lifespan of electrical infrastructure.
Network topography
With Dawesville located between the Indian Ocean and the Dawesville Estuary, supplying power can be challenging given the topography. The area needs to be supplied by long feeder lines giving limited points of access into the region. This limits back feeding options in the event of a fault or an unplanned outage. The location of Dawesville also increases the potential of fauna and flora interference with the network, which can cause power outage