Clean Energy Link - East
Clean Energy Link – East is in the planning phase to guide design development and support a business case for investment. The project will require approvals, including environmental assessments, and government funding allocation to move forward.
During the planning phase we consider locations of proposed renewable energy generators, ways to minimise community impact, landscape and environmental values, constructability, location of existing infrastructure and cost benefits for Western Australians.
We’re committed to working closely with stakeholders in the community, landowners and industry and will continue to provide updates as the proposed project progresses.
Project overview
We’re currently planning and scoping for this expansion in several stages enabling us to manage connections for projects already well-progressed, while supporting a smooth and efficient integration for future energy needs.
Stage One
To support WA’s commitment to retire state-owned coal generation by 2030, Stage One proposes to expand the network by delivering:
- a new terminal near Bowelling, providing a critical network connection point for renewable projects advancing in the area, unlocking significantly more clean energy.
- two new double-circuit 330kV transmission lines to connect the proposed new terminal back to the existing Muja and Shotts terminals.
This network upgrade is essential due to capacity and location constraints of the existing terminals at Muja and Shotts.
Community and stakeholder feedback and insights are important in determining the line design and will help inform industry and government decisions.
Stage Two and Three
This new terminal would also allow for future network expansion to the north-east where a number of other renewable energy generation projects are proposed. To inform these long-term investigations, continued stakeholder and community engagement will be undertaken.
Frequently asked questions
First announced by the State Government in 2023, Clean Energy Link Program is delivering the network infrastructure needed to connect more solar and wind farms as part of WA’s drive to be a world-leading renewable energy powerhouse.
Western Power will plan, build and manage new transmissions lines and new terminals across the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) to meet WA’s growing demand for renewable energy resources.
The project is in the planning phase, and still requires design development, investment decisions and relevant approvals, including environmental per stage. We will continue to provide updates related to timelines as the project progresses.
Enhancing infrastructure alongside sections of the existing 132kV line is an option Western Power is considering. While no decisions have been made for the connections from Muja Terminal and Shotts Terminal to the potential new terminal, using the existing 132kV line for this section poses a number of potential challenges. These include the ability to maintain network flexibility during power outages and longer-term energy infrastructure planning in the area. As the Clean Energy Link Program develops, some sections of the network enhancement may use this 132kV line.
Additionally, this line is not on a registered easement, which will be a requirement for the 330kV lines being built as part of the project. Easements ensure Western Power employees and contractors can access the site in the future to undertake maintenance and other works.
Renewable generators are responsible for connections from their projects to the network. Western Power will work closely with the renewable generators to ensure they meet our requirements and expectations.
Once we have engaged with the landowners, stakeholders and community and received feedback on the proposed project this will be provided to Government for determination.
While expanding the transmission network will not directly improve reliability on the distribution network, the overall benefits stemming from a clean energy network for the whole community will be momentous. Western Power is doing everything we can to improve distribution network resilience in the face of increasing climate change weather impacts to minimise the frequency and duration of power outages, with a number of initiatives already underway.
Scoping area
