The Western Australian Government is set to establish a $1.4 billion Clean Energy Fund to support a slate of projects designed to help decarbonise the state.
The fund, to be detailed as part of the 2026-27 State Budget, will support Clean Energy projects like Clean Energy Link (CEL) – East, which will expand the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) to bring more renewable energy to households and industry in Perth and WA’s south-west.
CEL – North is currently under construction and will improve access to renewables between Malaga and Three Springs, with high-capacity transmission lines, terminals, substations, and transformers installed on the network to unlock the flow of clean energy from the Mid West.
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CEL – East is the next stage of expansion and will connect new wind and solar projects east of Collie, delivering cleaner, more affordable and more reliable power for the future. When complete, CEL – East will deliver enough energy to power about 1 million homes.
In recognition of CEL – North and East’s significance to WA’s economic diversification goals, the government will soon move to declare both priority projects under the State Development Act 2025, smoothing the way for its delivery by streamlining approvals, improving whole‑of‑government co-ordination, and ensuring it is delivered on time.
Additionally, Clean Energy Link – Kwinana will also soon be declared a priority project under the Act, delivering new terminals and transmission lines to support 900MW of new energy demand in the Western Trade Coast.
Together, CEL – North and CEL – East will deliver 3GW of renewable energy to commercial, industrial, and residential customers and will create about 800 local jobs during the construction phase. CEL – North is on track for completion in late 2027, while CEL – East is expected to be online by the end of 2029.
In addition, the 2026-27 State Budget will include a further $7 million to support Horizon Power’s work in transitioning to renewable energy in regional WA, delivering increased renewable future energy systems for the West Kimberley, Coral Bay, Hopetoun, Denham, and in the Pilbara.
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said, “This critical project will create hundreds of local jobs and allow us to capitalise on our state’s abundant wind and solar resources.
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“Clean Energy Link – East is a massive grid expansion for the state, which will deliver enough energy to power around 1 million homes and support industry to access cheaper, cleaner energy.
“These projects are directly supporting the WA economy, providing local jobs and upskilling opportunities to our current and future workforce.”
