Ausgrid will invest more than $2 billion in the five years to 2014 to maintain and improve the performance of our electricity network in Newcastle and the Hunter.

Our record investment program is designed to improve reliability for customers and cater for continued growth in demand and includes a major focus on asset replacement.

Factors driving an increase in demand for electricity include new housing developments in Newcastle’s western corridor, North Thornton, Singleton, Scone and Muswellbrook, increased coal production forecast for the Upper Hunter, together with the increasing use of air conditioning generally in the community.

Key investment in this part of the network is outlined below.

Newcastle – Lake Macquarie around $1.2 billion on projects including:

Port Stephens region - around $191 million on projects including:

Cessnock - Maitland region - around $362 million on projects including:

Upper Hunter– around $337 million on projects including:

These initiatives, which are outlined in Our Five Year Plan, are based on current forecasts for the network. This plan will be reviewed annually to ensure money is invested where it is needed.