Energex has flicked the switch on a $10.5 million electricity upgrade, which will benefit around 18,300 homes and businesses in Ipswich's eastern suburbs, South East Queensland, Australia. The project involved the construction of a new 25-MVA substation at Kruger Parade, Redbank, as well as the installation of a series of new underground electricity cables and a small section of local overhead works in the Redbank, Collingwood Park and Goodna areas.
Now complete and operating, the new substation will provide greater network capacity and reliability for homes and businesses (including major shopping and industrial facilities) in Bellbird Park, Collingwood Park, Goodna, New Chum, Redbank and Redbank Plains. The upgrade is part of Energex's commitment to provide a safe, secure and highly reliable, cost-effective electricity supply to its customers.
Like most areas in South East Queensland, the eastern Ipswich City suburbs have seen some growth in population and commercial activity in the past decade placing pressure on power supplies, especially at peak electricity demand times. Across the region there has also been a rapid uptake of power-hungry appliances such as air-conditioners with 75 percent of local homes now having at least one air-conditioner and close to 15 percent having three or more systems. Across the new substation's supply area there are around 25,000 air-conditioning systems installed in local homes. According to the latest Queensland household energy survey this is tipped to rise to nearly 36,000 systems within five years.
Energex Western Region Asset Manager Russell Cross said the new substation was essential to support the existing customer base and to enable future growth in the area. "This project will now ensure the local network has the capacity to sustain forecast regional domestic and commercial expansion," Cross said.
"I'd also like to thank the local communities for their patience during the project and I can assure them the long-term benefits to the region will far outweigh the short-term inconvenience some may have encountered."
Energex's capital works program aims to improve and reinforce electricity supplies across South East Queensland, especially to meet peak electricity demand periods, and to support the increased use of residential solar power and lifestyle-enhancing appliances, such as air-conditioners and flat screen televisions.
