Power upgrades willbenefit regional Victorians

POWERCOR is poised to spend $81 million in rural and regional Victoria to improve the power supply and support a transition to clean energy.

More than 600 kilometres of single-wire electric lines, or SWER, will be upgraded to 22-kilovolt three-phase supply across 44 areas to provide more power capacity.

The upgrades are part of Powercor’s 2026–31 regulatory proposal submitted to the Australian Energy Regulator for approval.

Powercor’s general manager of regulation, Renate Vogt, said if the plan is approved it will ensure the company can continue meeting the needs of customers.

“All customers no matter where they live are more reliant on electricity than ever before so it’s essential we are able to deliver the power they need,” she said.

“Our tailored package is designed to lift reliability and capacity for regional and rural customers, bridging the gap between city and country customers’ access to electrification opportunities.

“Upgrading the SWER network in targeted areas will support regional businesses grow and invest in larger facilities and operations, driving economic growth.”

The proposed SWER upgrades would take place in the Wimmera, Goulburn Valley, the South West and the Macedon Ranges, while an additional four high-voltage tie-lines would be installed at Trentham, Gordon and Mount Egerton, Rokewood, Dereel and Corindhap, and Peterborough and Nirranda South.

The proposal also includes rolling out 17 stand-alone power systems to provide generation and/or battery storage for customers.