Householders to be big winners from Coalition's energy policy

December 10, 1996

Western Australian householders will be the big winners from the Coalition's Energy Policy, released today by Energy Minister Colin Barnett.

Mr Barnett said that in its next term of government, the Coalition would give a 25 per cent funding boost to the installation of underground power.

The Government had already committed $16 million over the next four years to continue the program of retrospectively undergrounding power cables in the metropolitan area and major country regions.

This funding will be approximately matched by Western Power and relevant local government authorities.

Mr Barnett said the Government would now add a further $4 million to the underground power program during its next term in office.

"The current underground power pilot programs in Applecross and Albany's Middleton Beach area are on target to be completed by the middle of next year at a combined cost of more than $10 million," he said.

"Early next year, the Government plans to announce the next step in the underground power project and the suburbs which will be involved.

"Extending Western Australia's underground power system has long been a part of the Coalition's energy policy and we are committed to reaching our long-term goal of installing underground power to half of the homes in Perth by 2010.

"Undergrounding power lines not only provides environmental and visual benefits by removing poles and cables and allowing street trees to grow, it also reduces maintenance costs and improves the reliability of electricity supply."

Mr Barnett said the policy of underground power as mandatory in all new subdivisions would also continue and that the Government would remain vigorously opposed to telecommunications cables being strung from power poles.

"It makes no sense to the Government to have more cables strung from power poles when we are committed to our underground power program," he said.

"I have had hundreds of calls supporting my stance against the visual pollution of aboveground telecommunications cables. I assure people my opposition will continue."

Announcing the Energy Policy today, Mr Barnett said the Government's strategy since coming to office of deregulating the State's energy industry had been an outstanding success, highlighted by major achievements such as the Goldfields Gas Pipeline, nine new private power stations and the multi-million dollar Pilbara Energy Project.

"The Government also feels proud of its record in promoting renewable energy in Western Australia, including the solar power station at Kalbarri and the Ord River hydro-electric power station completed earlier this year," he said.

"Also under the Coalition, there has been no increase in electricity prices for householders and small to medium-sized businesses. An average household has seen a $80 real saving on electricity bills since 1991-92, while businesses have seen a 15 to 25 per cent fall in their electricity bills."

Mr Barnett announced the Energy Policy at the official opening of the Edison Mission Energy co-generation power plant at Kwinana.

He said the 116 megawatt plant was an example of how the Government's aggressive energy deregulation timetable over the past four years had benefited independent power producers.

"The cogeneration plant produces electricity for use by the BP refinery and also for sale to Western Power, and utilises waste heat to provide process steam for the refinery," the Minister said.

"Other smaller co-generation plants, such as those at both Princess Margaret and St Anne's hospitals, also help to reduce energy consumption from the Western Power grid and allow more flexibility in electricity needs."

Media contact: Justine Whittome, (09) 222 9699 or 015 386 937