We’re constantly upgrading the equipment, infrastructure and other assets that make up our network, to improve safety, efficiency and the delivery of power.
Much of Endeavour Energy's network was built in the 1950s and 60s, when bare electricity conductors (powerlines) were the only cost-effective way to get power to homes and businesses.
We're now replacing bare high voltage overhead powerlines with covered conductor in our bushfire prone areas to improve network resilience during storms and to reduce the risk of bushfire in your area.
These will reduce the number of unplanned outages and help keep our communities safe.
Some poles and equipment may look fine on the outside, but it’s possible that they're damaged, so careful and regular inspections are needed.
We inspect all our 300,000 poles, and a further 120,000 privately owned poles across our network, every five and a half years. This involves digging around the base of the pole or column, measuring the wall thickness and looking for signs of rot or termites. Maintenance works are undertaken on any issues found.
We're installing the latest grid technology across the network, to improve the quality, reliability and sustainability of power as renewable energy increases.
These maximise rooftop solar usage, by storing locally generated solar energy, promoting lower electricity costs and facilitating the expansion of household solar power. These shared batteries benefit both solar-equipped households, by meeting community energy demand, and non-solar residents, by enabling their contribution to the renewable energy shift.
These are able to regulate frequency and voltage, mitigating network imbalances due to high local solar generation. They stabilise electricity quality, lowering the risk of outages during peak use times, while also absorbing excess solar energy from local rooftop solar panels and providing reserve electricity during high demand periods.
A STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) is a device used in electrical power systems to regulate voltage levels and improve the stability of the power grid. It provides reactive power compensation to help maintain constant voltage, despite changes in load or other disturbances.
These are small, local networks of electricity users, who have a local source of power that can operate independently of the main electricity grid. They typically include a combination of renewable energy sources, like solar panels and energy storage systems (such as batteries).
A standalone power supply is an electricity supply arrangement not physically connected to the electricity grid. It encompasses both microgrids and individual power systems, which are designed to generate and distribute electricity independently.
Your area may be serviced by underground electricity cables with some in service for more than 50 years. Over time, the insulation protecting the wires can degrade. Before defects occur resulting in more frequent and longer duration unplanned outages, we are proactively replacing old cables with new.
Overhead and underground switchgear across our network has proven to be cost-effective and reliable in supporting the supply of power to homes and businesses for over 60 years.
Switchgear is an important component on our network as it provides network protection and regulates supply. It is often used for de-energising equipment and clearing faults in an immediate area, minimising the impact on customers, and ensuring reliable power supply.
The old switchgear is manual and requires on-site operation. With new switchgear we can perform activities remotely, quickly protecting customers and minimising outage impacts.
Upgrading our substations is fundamental to ensuring our power supply remains dependable and cost-effective. With the rise in renewable energy sources, coupled with the usage of electric vehicles, it's essential that our power grid is equipped to support the increased demand.
Substation upgrades are driven by:
