Family Fun Day - entertainment line-up

Come and join in the fun on Sunday 10th October - and show your support for the Parks Not Pylons campaign. Venue is Sumner Park (home to the legendary Brunswick Zebras).

We have an awesome line-up of entertainment and activities for everyone from 12 noon. Our MC is the famously funny Frank Woodley (from Lano & Woodley) and local acts include:

Melbourne Ukelele Kollective (MUK)

Cowboy Cabaret

Spinifex Rose

Wendy Eayles

The Doubtfires

Serious stuff happening around 1pm with local politicians and candidates for the upcoming State Election pledging to come along. We will be asking them to support the commuity in its campaign for a better solutino at the Brunswick Terminal Station. Don't miss this bit!

Tell your neighbours, tell your friends - tell anyone who cares about Merri Creek and the local environment and who wants a day of free entertainment in our special corner of the world. This is our one shot to get our voice heard and get something special for the community as part of the upgrade project.

For more information or to volunteer your services on the day, contact Ramon Colodetti on 0416 235 391 and keep an eye out on the blogspot for updates.

Parks Not Pylons Family Fun Day

Come and support you friends and neighbours in their struggle against twelve 26 m high towers electricity towers in the Merri Parkland and vision for the extension of the park.

Sumner Park, Alistair St, Fitzroy North see Google Maps 

Kelvin Thomson MP says 'NO' to pylons

Recently Kelvin Thomson, Member for Wills, met with representatives of the Merri Creek Residents Group on site at the Brunswick Terminal Station. He is very supportive of our moves to establish a working party that involves all levels of government, as well as other key stakeholders, to ensure we make the most of the unique opportunity that the BTS upgrade project represents. Kelvin agrees with our proposition that using gas-insulated technology and undergrounding the facility would be the preferred solution and was most impressed with the work that has gone into our campaign so far.

Kelvin has committed to contacting Martin Ferguson, federal member for the neighbouring seat of Batman, and Minister for Resources and Energey, about this matter and working with our steering group to develop a better outcome for local residents and the broader community.

Kelvin Thomson with local residents at the Brunswick Terminal Station

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

Going Underground

I hope The Jam were right when they said "the public gets what the public wants".



Going underground is what the public wants. Below are some links highlighting the opportunity Melbourne now has to underground inner city and suburban electrical distribution infrastructure.

1. Modern Subterranean Substations in GIS Technology – Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Demographic Change and Infrastructure Requirements
   
2. Underground power links by HVDC Light
   
3. GIS SUBSTATION EXTENSIONS AND UPGRADES featuring Singapore Power GIS installations!
4. GIS Substations That Embellish, Not Blemish the Urban Streetscape

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 

Another successful community meeting

On Monday 19 July around 90 local residents came together at Merri Creek Primary School to plan the next stage in our quest to get a better outcome from the Brunswick Terminal Station upgrade. Cath Bowtell (Federal Candidate for Melbourne), Fiona Richardson (Member for Northcote) and Jane Garrett (Candidate for Brunswick) also attended to hear more about our proposed alternative solutions.

Anne Voss presented her research on issues with the original proposal and alternative technologies used as standard practice in terminal upgrades. Ray Colodetti presented a new vision for the site and surrounding areas including options for relocating an undergrounded facility to nearby land and the development of parklands and a community centre. A steering committee of volunteers was elected to keep working on the campaign with commitments to reporting back to all residents through the PowerGridSolutions website. Members are:

Colin Abbott - Chris Black - Francis Castello - Ramon Collodetti - Gary Cookson - Simon Evans - David Hunt - Dean Morel - Susy Onnis - Dean Paatsch - Jill Sanguinetti - Trevor Smith - Mauro Tarquinio - Tim Thomas - Anne Voss - Carolyn Whitzman - Alan Wicks

There was a strong commitment from all residents to continue opposing the plans for a sea of pylons on the site. Instead SP Ausnet and all levels of government will be encouraged to seriously examine the alternative options using modern technology and putting the terminal underground, and show greater respect for the local environment and local residents in their revised plans.