Our stories Regional Connect
As part of Western Power’s ongoing commitment to improving regional reliability, we began a Regional Connect Program to improve restoration times and reduce the average duration of unplanned outages for homes and businesses, particularly those located at the end of long feeder lines. We’re working with communities in targeted areas across the network to deliver solutions that will improve power reliability. These areas have been chosen as they have some of the highest number of recurring network faults, challenging environmental conditions, and diverse community needs. As each of the areas face different challenges that impact their reliability, the approach has been tailored to each location. In addition to our regular maintenance, each of the areas has had enhanced asset upgrades and replacement works conducted during FY25 including:
Location
Network infrastructure works
• Installation of protection devices and switches to improve fault finding capability, network flexibility and reliability began in FY25. • A new high voltage injection unit (HVIU) with back-up generators installed in October 2024 as an immediate solution to improve power reliability for the community. The HVIU is able to support around 1100 homes and businesses in Lancelin in the event of a fault on the feeder line and has successfully been used. • Work under way to upgrade protection devices, and conduct network reconfiguration and automation. This will reduce the duration of unplanned outages by introducing more telemetered devices, enabling easier fault-finding and isolation to restore power more quickly. It is expected these works will be complete in late 2025. • Upgrades to protection devices, operability changes and network automation aimed at improving reliability and reducing the length of outages in parts of the Shire of Irwin including Dongara, Port Denison, Springfield and Milo began in October 2024. This work is on track for completion in late 2025. • Enhanced asset upgrades and replacement under way including protection devices and voltage regulators, which will have reliability benefits for the community. • Community consultation underway on a potential network solution, which could involve installation of a Battery Energy Storage Solution in Lake King.
Lancelin
Northampton
Shire of Irwin
Gnowangerup and Lake King
Western Power Annual Report 2025
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