Underground cable replacement
We are proactively replacing old cables with new ones, before any defects can occur and cause more frequent and longer lasting, unplanned outages.
Improving electricity reliability
We’re focused on providing a reliable electricity supply and we continue to invest in the upgrade of electricity infrastructure, including underground cables, to leverage the latest technology and build a safer, more resilient network.
As some areas within our network are serviced by underground electricity cables that are more than 50 years old, we're working hard to upgrade them.
We apologise in advance for the interruption to your power supply while we complete the upgrade to underground cables. We understand the importance of having a continual power supply, and as a result, we strive to ensure all work is be done quickly and safely to restore your power.
Important considerations during these upgrades
- If you’re a customer who relies on essential medical equipment, please activate your back-up plan immediately. If you are not currently registered for life support and you require power for the use of vital medical devices please call 131 003 to commence the registration process.
- Once power supply is lost, automatic garage doors will not open. It is always good to know how to manually open, close and safely secure your garage door in case of a loss of power.
- Some of the trucks used to repair electricity infrastructure are large, and we may be forced to park across driveways to safely complete the work required. Talk to our crew when they arrive on site if you need access to your vehicle, and they will work with you to find a suitable time to move.
- Should there be bad weather, the job may be rescheduled to another date. We understand that this is difficult for customers have made alternative arrangements, but for safety reasons, our crew cannot work on live wires during heavy rain or very strong winds.
What to expect when our team is on site
The replacement of underground cables takes 4-6 weeks (weather permitting), however, it’s important to note that your power should only be interrupted for one day during this period.
During replacement of underground cables we’ll be undertaking the following actions:
- To access and install new conduits (or channels), trenches will be dug using small excavators to expose the existing cables.
- The installation of temporary fencing, or temporarily backfilling trenches with sand, ensures that our community is protected and not exposed to deep excavations during this work
- Aged cabling is removed and replaced with new cables. New pillars may also be installed to connect individual premises to the network, where needed
- Connecting your property to the new cables, will require an interruption to your power supply. The start and finish times for this outage will be noted within our outage notification SMS or letter
- Once connected to the new underground cables, old and obsolete pillars will be removed and disposed of
- The final step will be restoring the job area to pre-work conditions. This may involve laying new turf or footpaths, following consultation with your local council
During this work you will see Endeavour Energy teams, trucks and equipment. There will be some noise and dust, however we will make every effort to keep this to a minimum.
