MP urges power companies to consider residents plan

The Family Fun Day on 10/10/10 was a huge success with around 800 residents turning up throughout the afternoon to support the "Parks Not Pylons" campaign. It was a fantastic show of community spirit and demonstrates how passionate everyone is about getting a good outcome from the Brunswick Terminal Station upgrade.

Kelvin Thomson, Federal Member for Wills, spoke at the event and urged the power companies and regulators to seriously consider the alternate plan put forward by residents which would both place the new facility underground and open up more parkland for the community. He spoke about pressure on the local infrastructure with increased multi-unit housing in the area, and the urgent need for additional recreational space for Moreland residents.

Other politicians who attended included Jane Garrett (Mayor of Yarra and ALP candidate for Brunswick), Cyndi Dawes (Green candidate for Brunswick), Fiona Richardson (Member for Northcote), Anne Martinelli (Green candidate for Northcote), Greg Barber (Greens MLC), Cr Trent McCarthy (Darebin) and Cr Jo Conellan (Moreland). Thanks to them all for making the time to come along on a Sunday afternoon.

Singapore Power Ausnet, CitiPower and the Australian Energy Market Operator sent along a contingent of staff to talk to residents and explain their plans for a proper community consultation process. They said everyone in the local area should be receiving a newsletter and 'feedback form' in coming days so all residents should ensure they make their views known. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, energy and resources to the day - including Frank Woodley for being such an excellent MC, all those bands who entertained the crowds, the sausage sizzlers, face painters and all the behind the scenes crew who made it happen.

The Merri Creek Community Group will ensure that everyone who has signed up to this blog keeps getting regular updates on progress, so please encourage any of your neighbours or other supporters to sign up now. Thanks again to this wonderful community for being so supportive of the campaign to date - without you, futures generations would have been left the legacy of a sea of pylons and not the range of credible alternative solutions we now have on the table.

The Melbourne Times Article

Plug pulled on power station upgrade

PRESSURE is growing for an electrical power station, which will feed the inner city and northern suburbs’ electricity needs, to be built underground.

Last month, Moreland Council scuttled plans lodged by power company SP AusNet to upgrade the Brunswick terminal station from 225 megavolts to 675 megavolts. SP AusNet says it is crucial to upgrade and expand the power station to secure electricity supply to the CBD, Carlton, Northcote, Brunswick and surrounding areas.

The power station is surrounded by houses and backs onto Merri Creek.
The Essential Services Commission approved the upgrade of the station, owned by SP AusNet and run by CitiPower/Powercor, finding it was the most efficient way to meet the innernorth’s growing power needs.

When rebuffing the SP AusNet proposal – which included planting trees around the power station to shield it from view – Moreland’s planning committee said opportunities to build an underground power station should be investigated.

Two state seats, three federal electorates and three municipalities adjoin the site.
Wills MHR Kelvin Thomson said the original proposal would dominate the Merri Creek environment and was not appropriate. ‘‘I do think we should be looking at ways to get this facility underground.’’

Northcote MLA Fiona Richardson commended SP AusNet for not immediately appealing Moreland Council’s decision to VCAT. ‘‘This approach is very welcome indeed.’’
Ms Richardson wrote to Energy Minister Peter Batchelor asking him to meet residents and explain what, if anything, he could do for ‘‘a better outcome’’.

‘Moreland councillor Jo Connellan said representatives from SP AusNet, the three councils and residents would meet in the next fortnight.

Via The Melbourne Times - Registration required

ABB wins $19 million substation orders in Singapore

Compact GIS substations to support power transmission and distribution

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won orders worth $19 million from SP PowerAssets in Singapore for substations that will help to strengthen the electricity transmission and distribution network.

The project, scheduled for completion in 2010, includes the design, supply, installation and commissioning of two 66 kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) substations, as well as the supporting ancillary equipment.

“These GIS substations, with their compact footprint, are ideally suited to locations where space is at a premium, and will help to secure and strengthen the reliability of the grid,” said Claudio Facchin, global head of ABB’s substation business, a part of the company’s Power Systems division.

SP PowerAssets owns the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Singapore. It is a member of the Singapore Power Group, a leading energy utility group in the Asia Pacific region.

Substations are key installations in the transmission and distribution grid that facilitate the transformation of voltage levels and distribution of electrical power. ABB has a global installed base of over 10,000 substations, across a range of voltage levels up to 800 kV.

via ABB announcement 

Stephen Mayne quizzes SPAusnet Board on Undergrounding Power Assets

Audio of the SPAusnet AGM http://www.sp-ausnet.com.au/?id=240240100CA227CEDDCAECC74CA25775A001E97D9

Instructions

1. Click on the link marked AGM webcast
2. Once you have signed in, progress to the Formal Business section – and slide out to 25.38 where you will hear Stephen Mayne ask a question about how SP Ausnet are coping with the urban pressures for undergrounding & for development that is acceptable to local communities. He mentions Brunswick specifically.

The CEO, Nino Ficca acknowledged that there are pressures particularly for Distribution assets to be undergrounded (he said they do it in some areas) but that Transmission assets are not b/c of the cost and the technology.

He said the BTS development had been spearheaded by Citipower and AEMA to enhance security for the CBD network. Ultimately any redevelopment has to be done on an efficient basis and signed off by the Australian Energy Regulator.

He was disappointed their planning application was not approved but stated that ‘we are in consultation with the local residents trying to understand their position’ so that they can move forward but that any development will be subject to regulatory approval.

Merri Creek in flood