WA reveals biggest investment in grid for a decade to help unlock more wind and solar

The Western Australian state government has unveiled what it says is its largest investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in more than a decade, announcing new contracts totalling $342 million for major transmission network upgrades that will help unlock future renewable energy capacity.

Contracts were awarded to UGL Engineering, Acciona, and GenusPlus for major upgrades to the northern section of the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which covers the region from Geraldton to Albany and east to Kalgoorlie.

The upgrades are part of a $584 million state budget commitment for Western Power, the state-owned operator of the electricity network in the south west corner of the state, to undertake network upgrades and expansion as part of the Clean Energy Link – North program.

Clean Energy Link – North will include the deployment of high-capacity transmission lines, terminals, substations, and transformers, all of which are intended to help unlock the flow of wind and solar from projects north of Perth, which have been heavily constrained and which feature some of the best wind and solar conditions in the state.

The state government says the upgrades will enable an extra 400 megawatts (MW) to be transported from existing wind farms, and another 1 gigawatt (GW) of new renewable energy capacity for customers across the SWIS, while also allowing for more clean energy generation in the Mid West.

The W.A. grid has no connection to other state grids, but is in desperate need for new wind and solar generation, and additional battery storage, to help fill the gap that will be created by the closure of its remaining coal fired power generators by the end of this decade.

“Strengthening and expanding WA’s main electricity network is fundamental in enabling industry and households to be powered by renewable energy from the Mid West,” said Amber-Jade Sanderson, the recently appointed state minister for energy and decarbonisation.

“It will mean industry can reliably and safely connect their wind, solar and battery projects to the transmission network, increasing the amount of renewables on our system, with the aim of doubling them by 2030.

The state government expects over 400 jobs to be created as a direct result of this latest investment.