CEO message
At the distribution level, customer investment in rooftop solar and batteries continues to grow. On 17 November, renewables supplied a record 85.1% of energy in the SWIS, driven in large part by customer-owned resources. With Government support for residential batteries, this trend is set to accelerate. We have continued to progress the network and policy changes required to ensure the network can continue to safely accommodate the expanding number and size of these distributed resources. Together with Synergy, AEMO and Energy Policy WA, we’ve demonstrated through Project Symphony that these distributed energy resources can operate as virtual power plants – delivering financial value to customers and supporting system reliability. Under the next phase of this work, titled Project Jupiter, we’re now working to scale these capabilities, enabling customers to gain greater value from their DER assets. Housing development remains a key focus. We’ve worked closely with Government to accelerate network connections for residential and land developments, energising around 10,000 subdivision lots this year – 2300 more than last year – and significantly reducing connection timeframes in several key areas. Resilience and reliability are central to our mission. We are redesigning our network to meet the growing challenges from climate change. In the Perth metropolitan area, we undergrounded power for 4000 more residential customers and initiated several new undergrounding projects. In regional areas, we expanded our Stand-alone Power Systems (SPS) program, now operating 321 SPS units to improve safety and reliability for customers at the end of long feeder lines. In addition to these network changes, we continue to innovate to improve the performance of the network. From drone inspections and helicopter-applied silicone to upgraded components and advanced forecasting, we’re enhancing our emergency response and protecting communities from the impacts of extreme weather, pole top fire and bushfire risks. Safety remains our highest priority - if it’s not safe, we don’t do it. This year, we introduced a new Critical Risk Management framework and a Mental Health Strategy to ensure every member of our workforce returns home safe, every day.
It has been another remarkable year for Western Power, defined by bold progress, strategic transformation, and a steadfast commitment to the people of Western Australia. This past financial year, we laid the foundations for the most significant transmission network expansion in Western Australia in decades – critical to supporting the State’s decarbonisation journey. In FY25 alone, we connected 880MW of renewable technology, including 100MW of large-scale solar and 780MW of battery energy storage. We also issued access offers for 759MW, accelerating the integration of clean energy into the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). Further transmission network upgrades are essential to enabling more renewable generators on the network to support the journey to ‘net zero’. The next phase in this journey is underway. This year we signed major contracts for Clean Energy Link – North, which will unlock 1GW of renewable energy from the Mid-West region and deliver it to where the community and industry need it. To meet the scale of the energy transition, we’ve focused on building workforce capacity and strengthening supply chains. Our efforts are generating job growth and supporting emerging industries, contributing to the long-term prosperity of our communities. We’ve also improved how we connect customers to the network. Following our Major Customer Connection Process (MCCP) review in 2022, access offer timeframes have reduced from 42 months to 18-24 months. This streamlined process is helping large generators and industrial customers connect faster and more efficiently.
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Western Power Annual Report 2025
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