Victoria’s largest electricity distributor, Powercor, has unveiled a $3.6 billion plan to strengthen the power network so it can better handle extreme weather, while delivering the infrastructure needed to support the state’s energy transition and improve reliability in regional areas.
Under the plan, Powercor proposes to provide backup supplies to four areas, more weather-resistant infrastructure and incorporate even more reliability technology into parts of the network. It will add on average just $3 a year to distribution charges and reduce metering charges by on average $1 a year.
Powercor has now submitted its 2026-31 regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator for review and approval.
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Over the next five years, an additional 280,000 will be living in the Powercor network, energy consumption is expected to rise by 35%, renewable generation is expected to double and 23% of customers will have an electric vehicle. Meanwhile, communities are already experiencing more frequent and extreme weather that is damaging electricity infrastructure.
Powercor conducted its largest-ever customer and industry engagement program to help develop its 2026-31 plans, engaging more than 9,400 customers over the past four years.
Powercor general manager regulation Renate Vogt said the proposed investment package was designed to meet these challenges, ensuring the network continues to deliver reliable and safe power for more than 930,000 customers across central, northern and western Victoria.
“We have spoken with thousands of customers to better understand how they want us to invest in our network, and our plan reflects their expectations,” Vogt said.
“Under our plan, we will build a stronger network to better withstand extreme weather, integrate smarter technology to support more electric vehicles, and ensure regional and rural communities have the same opportunities to participate in the energy transition as urban areas.
“Our plan is designed to support greater electrification and the state’s population growth, all while keeping costs as low as possible.”
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Proposed investments include:
- $94 million for resilience measures to help the network and local communities manage extreme weather events, including fire- and flood-resistant power poles, back-up power supplies for Apollo Bay, Ballan, Donald, and Lancefield, and more on-the-ground support by introducing community support officers and expanding our emergency response vehicle fleet.
- $81 million to improve reliability for rural and regional customers by upgrading rural powerlines, supporting communities to participate more effectively in the energy transition.
- $1.3 billion for asset maintenance to continue providing a safe and reliable electricity supply.
- $97 million to support electrification, helping customers maximise their investments in rooftop solar, electric vehicle charging, and home batteries.
- $90 million to manage demand growth in western Melbourne’s high-growth corridors.
