Power to grow for Penrith

 

3 July 2008

 

Penrith, get set for a power boost!

 

That is the message Integral Energy took to Penrith City Council today at a special briefing about the corporation’s multi-million dollar plans to upgrade and expand the electricity network in the Penrith Local Government Area.

 

Integral Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Vince Graham, said the corporation’s planned investment in electricity infrastructure would benefit households and businesses in established and new areas in the Penrith LGA.

 

“Our plans for Penrith’s electricity network are part of Integral Energy’s vision to invest $4.5 billion in essential infrastructure between 2009 and 2014, to deliver reliable electricity supplies to 2.1 million people in Sydney’s Greater West, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra,” Mr Graham said.

 

“This energy boost is necessary to meet the demands of growth, improve reliability and replace aging assets.

 

“We’re planning ahead to support the arrival of new businesses, some 40,000 new jobs and the forecast 25,000 new houses for the Penrith area by 2031.

 

“The centrepiece of our plans to support local residential growth is a new $22 million zone substation at Claremont Meadows, on the corner of O’Connell Street and Sunflower Drive, to support the 670 hectare-WELL Precinct.

 

“The demand for electricity in the vicinity of Claremont Meadows is expected to grow by more than 34% over the next eight to 10 years.

 

“In established suburbs in Penrith, our challenge is to replace aging ‘baby boomer’ electricity assets, built from the 1960s to the 1980s.

 

“We’re creating jobs for Penrith in the process, and so far in 2008, we’ve welcomed 12 new local apprentices from South Penrith to Luddenham and St Marys to Erskine Park,” he said.

 

The Claremont Meadows substation has been architecturally designed to blend into its surroundings.

 

Other continuing and new projects by Integral Energy in the Penrith LGA includes:
• $36 million to double the capacity of Penrith Transmission Substation (work began in January);
• $5.5 million to improving the security of supply at substations at Luddenham (and Warragamba);
• $2.35 million in distribution works to renew parts of Penrith’s high voltage network.

Mr Graham said the investment followed Integral Energy’s $2.9 billion infrastructure program between 2004 and 2009 to improve reliability and service.