Overview

A reliable and affordable electricity supply is essential to supporting Sydney’s economy.

Parts of the current electricity transmission network were built in the 1960s and 1970s and some underground cables are now approaching the end of their serviceable life.

As Sydney’s population grows, the demand for electricity is increasing and replacement of the ageing infrastructure will secure the future supply for residents and businesses in Sydney’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.

Powering Sydney's Future involves:

  • installing a new 20km 330kV underground cable between Potts Hill and Alexandria
  • upgrading substations at Potts Hill, Alexandria and Picnic Point
  • installing additional pipes so there is space for a second cable to be added in the future as demand increases, avoiding future disruption to local communities
  • constructing special crossings, such as cable bridges or underbores (underground crossings), for the cable circuit to cross rail corridors, rivers or parks
  • temporary use of some public spaces as ‘laydown areas’ during the construction of the project, for the storage and assembly of equipment.

Powering Sydney's Future will secure a reliable electricity supply through economically viable solutions, with minimal community and environmental impacts.

A new 20-kilometre 330kV underground cable has been installed, mostly along roads, with some work in parks. We have constructed cable bridges and drilled under the ground at some locations to cross rail corridors, rivers, main roads and major underground utility services.

The project includes upgrades to our substations at Potts Hill, Alexandria and Picnic Point.

During construction we have also installed conduits for extra cables, to miminise disruption to local communities when extra network capacity is required in the future.

We engaged global cable solutions provider, Taihan, to design and construct the new cable.

We proposed a preferred cable route in 2017 after examining more than 30 route options. As part of our planning and consultation for the project, a new cable route was identified which would lower the construction impacts for local communities.

The revised cable route primarily follows local roads and some main roads.

Along most of the route, we dug a trench about three meters wide by 1.2 meters deep and installed conduits (pipes) before refilling the trench and temporarily restoring the road surface or other areas such as parks. To cross waterways and rail lines, we built special cable bridges or drilled below ground to install the conduits (pipes). 

At approximately every 900 metres along the route our construction crews have installed precast underground ‘joint bays’. We use the joint bays to pull the sections of cable into the conduits and then join the cable sections together.

Latest update

In July 2022 Transgrid marked completion of main construction works for the Powering Sydney’s Future project. The cables and associated infrastructure have been activated and road restoration works were completed in June 2022 following delays due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

Map

Timeline

  • Contract award - Completed

    December 2019

  • Start of detailed design - Completed

    January 2020

  • ​DPIE published EIS Submissions Report and Amendment Report - Completed

    February 2020

  • Project determination - Completed

    May 2020

  • ​Completion of detailed design - Completed

    Late July 2020

  • Main construction - Completed

    November 2021

  • Permanent road restoration - Completed

    Mid 2023

  • Project completion - Completed

    Mid 2023

Community engagement

We are constructing this major infrastructure project through densely populated suburban areas and the support and cooperation of local communities has helped us keep work on schedule.

Our team has been working closely with the  community and other stakeholders throughout the project. We continue to engage with people who live, work and operate businesses along the cable route and answer queries through our 24/7 community information line and project inbox.

Regular communication channels include doorknocking, providing updates on the project website, weekly digital updates and work notifications.

A key focus of the project has been giving back to communities affected by our construction activities through grants to non-profit organisations that serve others in their neighbourhoods. Learn more about our Community Partnership Program or watch the videos below for insights into how we are giving back:

Transgrid also supported a number of impacted small businesses along its PSF route with a Business Support Program, to help future-proof the businesses and better prepare them for unplanned impacts on their business.  One of those businesses was Aslan Coffee and you can watch the video here to see how Transgrid supported Aslan’s owner Budi.

 

Fact sheets and community updates

See the resources section on this page for project fact sheets, community newsletters, works notifications, and other community information. 

Landowner support and advocacy

We recognise the Powering Sydney's Future project may have increased the level of stress and anxiety experienced by landowners, and have engaged an external service provider – Assure Programs – to provide landowners with short-term support and counselling. 

Further details on this service, as well as additional landowner resources, are available on our landowner support and advocacy page

Community and Stakeholder Reference Group (CSRG)

Transgrid has established a CSRG for the Powering Sydney’s Future project to enable community participation in project delivery.

The group provides a forum for discussions between the project team (including Transgrid and our contractor, Taihan) and local representatives, including community and stakeholder groups and local councils. It is led by an independent chairperson.

The CSRG representatives are:

  • Jeff Senior – City of Canterbury Bankstown
  • David Crosby – Inner West Council
  • Jo Blackman – Inner West Environment Group (IWEG)
  • Brian Hudson – Ashbury Community Group
  • Wally Mehanna – Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce

Visit the resources section on this page for combined meeting minutes and presentations. 

If you have any questions, please contact Brendan Blakely, Independent Chairperson, via email at TransgridCSRG@elton.com.au or phone 02 9387 2600.

Stakeholder Monitoring Committee

As part of our ongoing commitment to engaging with our stakeholders on the Powering Sydney's Future project, Transgrid and Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) have created a Stakeholder Monitoring Committee.

This committee represents a commitment to provide ongoing engagement with consumers on key aspects of the project’s development, transparency of the rollout, and the project's numerous drivers and complexities.

The Powering Sydney’s Future Stakeholder Monitoring Committee members are:

Please see the resources section of this page for monitoring committee reports. 

Approvals

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) approved the Powering Sydney’s Future project on 14 May 2020. The project secures the electricity supply for 800,000 people working and living in Sydney’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.

This followed the public exhibition and submission of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from 11 October to 22 November 2019.

The studies that supported the EIS were prepared by independent experts and included assessments of potential impacts on the environment, biodiversity, heritage, air quality, amenity, traffic and transport in your community. 

We considered all submissions from the community and stakeholders to the EIS and prepared a Submissions Report in response to questions and issues raised.

You can view this report, the EIS, DPIE’s Assessment Report, and DPIE’s Conditions of Approval on the DPIE Major Projects web page and in our resources section

Resources

Fact sheets

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Community newsletters

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Works Notifications Nov 2022–Mar 2023

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Works notifications Jan-Mar 2022

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Works notifications Oct-Dec 2021

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Works notifications Jul-Sep 2020