Transforming our network
On 17 November 2024, renewables provided a record 85.1% of energy in the SWIS. WA is at the forefront of the energy transition with 40% of all residential houses with solar. About 30,000 new rooftop solar systems are installed each year, and household battery adoption is also increasing, which means more WA homes are generating and storing clean energy than ever before. While this growth creates exciting opportunities to harness renewable energy, it also puts pressure on the electricity network. Balancing the supply of solar power with energy demand is becoming more complex, creating risks to the stability and reliability of the system and its ability to deliver power affordably. While our existing system of poles and wires was built for one-way energy flow, the rise of customer distributed energy resources also feeding in to the network has brought with it a unique challenge. Batteries in particular are key – we need to harness all the tools batteries can provide including energy storage and support with network stability to ensure the network is primed for the energy transition. Initiatives like Project Jupiter and its precursor Project Symphony are some of the other ways we’re working to address network challenges while continuing to enable greater take-up of renewables. We are continuing our drive in helping raise the community’s understanding of renewable energy, their role in the transition to a cleaner energy future and how their own DER can support this. Undergrounding of power lines – which will enable greater capacity for renewables and assets like batteries and EVs, and greater visibility through installation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure – are key elements of our plans for the distribution network.
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Western Power Annual Report 2025
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