A $3.3 billion plan to deliver a stronger power network to better withstand extreme weather, support more electric vehicles and enhance reliability in regional areas has been unveiled by Victorian electricity distributor Powercor.
The 2026-31 Draft Regulatory Proposal includes a plan to provide backup supplies to four areas, more weather-resistant infrastructure and incorporate even more reliability technology into parts of the network.
The plan would add just $2 to the annual network costs for Powercor’s residential customers.
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Over the next five years, Victoria’s population is predicted to increase by 900,000, energy consumption is expected to rise by 35%, renewable generation is expected to double and 22% of cars are forecast to be electric. Meanwhile, communities are already experiencing more frequent and extreme weather that is damaging electricity infrastructure.
Powercor general manager regulation Renate Vogt said the draft investment package was designed to meet these challenges.
“Our proposal will deliver a stronger network to better withstand extreme weather, a smarter network to manage more electric vehicle charging and a fairer network where all customers have access to reliable power, no matter where they live,” she said.
Proposed investments include:
- $29 million to enable growth, electrification and uptake of customer energy resources, including introducing flexible export products to unlock additional solar through smarter solutions and enabling all customers to have universal access to standard wall-charging.
- $233 million for more aerial inspections and new technology to better manage bushfire risks from vegetation clearances.
- A $61 million resilience package to help the network and local communities manage extreme weather events, including fire and floodproof 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 vehicles.
- $45 million to boost reliability for rural and regional customers by upgrading rural powerlines, supporting communities to better participate in the energy transition.
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“The rising cost of living is placing pressure on many of our customers so keeping network costs as low as possible has been important,” Vogt said.
“We already operate one of the most efficient and low-cost networks and this plan continues to find smarter ways to maximise how we are using the network to get the most value for our customers.”
The community now has an opportunity to provide feedback on the five-year draft plan before Powercor submits it to the Australian Energy Regulator for approval in early 2025. A series of workshops will be held across Victoria during September and October.
