Energy Minister Peter Collier joined the City of Gosnells in an Agreement Signing Ceremony today to celebrate the start of the Maddington Underground Power Project.

The city is the latest local government to sign up for Round Four of the State Underground Power Program (SUPP), which will deliver underground power to more than 1,100 households in the Maddington project area.

Mr Collier said undergrounding of power lines was an important way of improving the standard of electricity supply to consumers by addressing power reliability issues in areas with existing overhead infrastructure.

“The Maddington Underground Power Project will provide residents with a more reliable medium of electrical supply while ensuring improved safety and attractive streetscapes for the community,” he said.

“The City of Gosnells and Western Power Underground Power Group have done an excellent job in preparing the detailed design for the Maddington project.”

The project has a total cost of $10.8million, which is shared between the city (through local ratepayers who benefit directly), the State Government and Western Power, and is scheduled for completion in late 2010.

“The Government is committed to maintaining equitable access to the SUPP by local governments,” the Minister said.

“The Maddington project takes advantage of a 15 per cent subsidy, designed to encourage participation by low socio-economic areas.”

The Maddington project area eligibility for this subsidy was determined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Socio Economic Index for Areas.

The SUPP was established in 1996 to help improve the State’s electricity distribution network throughout Western Australia.

The Underground Power Steering Committee will call for Expressions of Interest Proposals in the final quarter of 2009 for the upcoming Round Five projects.