A permanent levee is being built at the Castlemaine zone substation as part of Powercor’s major program of work to reduce the risk of flooding affecting electricity supplies.
Powercor crews have begun constructing a two-metre-high permanent levee on land just outside the zone substation site, near Campbells Creek. Work is expected to be completed by early February, 2023.
Powercor has been working closely with Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owners, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and Mount Alexander Shire Council to fast-track the work.
The levee is made from compacted soil, which is then covered with grass to integrate into the natural surrounds, and is being built to withstand one-in-200-year flood levels.
Temporary flood mitigation measures, including sandbagging, will remain in place at various sites through December and January, with the La Nina weather pattern remaining across the state.
With Victoria’s weather becoming more unstable, Powercor is also examining other longer-term engineering solutions, such as raising critical equipment and control rooms, at other sites across the network.
Powercor’s head of major projects, Marcus Olive, said the combination of short and long-term measures were designed to build more resilience in the power network and reduce the likelihood of flood waters impacting zone substations and causing power outages for communities in the future.
“Our weather is changing and as we experience more extreme events like the recent floods, it’s critical we are building more resilient power infrastructure to withstand as much as possible the impacts of these events,” Mr Olive said.
In October, Powercor de-energised the Castlemaine zone substation after rising water from nearby rivers and creeks breached the temporary levees and flooded the sites. By turning off the substation, Powercor was able to minimise the safety risk to the community and reduce the potential for long-term damage.
The Castlemaine zone substation was built by the SEC in the 1960s and supplies 12,364 customers across Maldon, Newstead, Elphinstone, Harcourt, Campbells Creek, Drummond and surrounding areas.
