Summer Hill substation project

The existing substation has been supplying power to the community since 1966 and Ausgrid needs to replace the substation’s equipment and associated cables to enable us to maintain a safe and reliable power supply for the area in the future. To enable the old substation to continue to supply electricity to the community while new equipment is brought on line, we need to build a new substation.

This zone substation, like other zone substations, is needed as part of the power supply chain that delivers power from where it is generated to electricity users. Electricity comes into a substation at high voltage (in this case 33,000 Volts) and is converted to 11,000 Volts for distribution into the community. Substation equipment includes transformers that convert electricity to lower voltages and switching gear that allows us to safely operate and maintain the electricity network. Smaller substations, such as the ones you may have seen in large green boxes by the side of the street, or mounted on the side of power poles, then convert power to voltages suitable for use in homes and businesses.

Once the new substation becomes operational, the old substation will be decommissioned. At that time Ausgrid will consider the sale of the remaining land.

Civil construction is underway and will continue until early 2020, weather and technical requirements permitting. This will be followed by the installation of electrical equipment inside the substation.

 

In 2012, Ausgrid advised local residents of its purchase of land adjacent to the existing substation for the purpose of building a new replacement substation. At that time local residents were invited to provide comments on what Ausgrid should consider in the plans for a new substation. Feedback included giving consideration to heritage aspects of the area so the new building is sympathetic to the surrounding environment.

In October 2015, architectural and urban design specialists Brewster Murray were engaged to lead the design process for the new substation. Brewster Murray then considered community feedback following the initial community information session held on 9 November 2015 in the preparation of the initial design concepts. 

Feedback from interested members of the community was considered as the architects prepared design concepts. These concepts were shown at the second community information session held 10 December 2015. The design concepts presentation from the second community information session can be viewed by clicking on the link on the right hand side of this page. 

Ausgrid sought feedback on these concept designs to help guide the next stage of the design process. Feedback was received between 10 December 2015 and 5 February 2016.

Brewster Murray Architects and the project team then worked through community feedback as part of the planning process and prepared photomontages of the proposed design of the new substation. Photomontages showing the proposed design were shown at the third community information session held Thursday 10 November 2016. The presentation from the community session can be viewed via the link on the bottom of the page. 

While a basic size and shape of the building is necessary to meet the community’s electricity requirements, Ausgrid has sought community input on the building design from the early planning stage.

In October 2012 Ausgrid let the local community know that it had purchased properties at the corner of James Street and Old Canterbury Road to build a new substation. These properties are 14A and 14B James Street and 238 and 240 Old Canterbury Road, which are located between the existing substation at 230 Old Canterbury Road (the Dulwich Hill zone substation) and our depot site at 12A James Street Summer Hill.

To help guide our early planning, Ausgrid at that time asked residents for their feedback on what they would like Ausgrid to consider in the planning to construct the new substation and this has helped guide early planning for the project.

Following confirmation that a new substation is required in 2019, detailed design began in late 2015 and Ausgrid has engaged with the local community at the early stage of developing plans for the new substation.

The first community information session was held on Monday 9 November 2015. Community members had the opportunity to learn more about the project, provide feedback on potential layouts for the site and make suggestions to the architects for consideration as they prepare the concept designs. Presentations from the first community information session can be viewed by going to the community information and presentations page via the link on the right of this page.

Ausgrid then sought community input on the concept designs that were presented at the second community information session on 10 December 2015. The design concepts presentation is available via the link on the right of this page. The closing date for feedback on the concept designs was 5 February 2016. A summary of community feedback can be viewed via the link at top right.

When the proposed design was developed, a third community information session took place on 10 November 2016 where members of the project team presented photomontages of the proposed design, listened to feedback and gave a project update. The update included details on how community feedback had been used and other factors were required to be considered as part of this process. See presentation from the community session via the link on the right hand side of the page.

The community involvement at various stages of planning the project is shown on an indicative project timeline - see project status section.

Ausgrid will also be engaging with the community as part of developing plans to lay new cables to supply power to the substation.

Questions and feedback from the community are welcome at any time as the project progresses. Please get in touch via the contacts on the right of this page.

Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Ausgrid is the determining authority for this project. An environmental assessment (known as a Review of Environmental Factors or REF) was prepared on the preferred design option in accordance with Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Clause 228 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.

The REF investigates the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of the proposed substation. It also recommends mitigation measures as required to ensure any impacts are at acceptable levels.

The REF was on exhibition from Thursday 14 December 2017 until Monday 22 January 2018 and Ausgrid encouraged further community comments on the proposal at this stage.

Following several stages of community engagement and further planning, Ausgrid has now finalised the environmental assessment (REF) and design and the project has been approved for construction. Final REF can be viewed via the link at the bottom of the page.

Like on any construction site there would be typical building impacts such as noise and dust as a result of work on and around the site. Any potential impacts are assessed as part of an environmental assessment (known as a Review of Environmental Factors or REF) and measures put in place to minimise impacts on the local environment.

The work with most significant impact would typically be during the first twelve months of the project as the builder carries out earthworks and building construction and the works associated with the new underground cables that would connect to the new substation. Installation of new equipment within the new structure would be of lower impact with Ausgrid staff working predominantly within the building.

Ausgrid does not plan to interrupt local electricity supplies as part of construction of the new substation.

There would also be temporary traffic impacts when the underground cables are being installed in local streets to connect the new substation to the electricity network which we would work to minimise.