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Improving power supplies in remote Aboriginal communities

Residents of two remote communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Kalumburu and Yungngora (Noonkanbah), are set to benefit from improved power supplies.

Earlier this month, Horizon Power took responsibility for the Kalumburu electricity network and installed underground power to improve safety and reliability of power supplies, particularly important in cyclone-prone areas.

Horizon Power will this week connect customers in the west Kimberley community of Yungngora to the recently upgraded electricity network.

Horizon Power undertook the upgrade under the Aboriginal and Remote Communities Power Supply Project (ARCPSP) funded by the State Government through the Public Utilities Office.

Horizon Power staff and contractors worked in challenging conditions to improve power supplies in Kalumburu, including the prolonged 2010 wet season which resulted in residents having to leave their community in search of higher ground due to flooding. Road access to the community was severed for the better part of a year as a result of that flooding.

As part of ARCPSP, Horizon Power has also delivered education on safety, energy efficiency and the new way of paying for power to the residents of Kalumburu and Yungngora. As Horizon Power customers, residents will pay the same price per unit of electricity as most other Western Australians and are now able to apply for State Government energy rebates and subsidies.

Energy-efficient LED streetlights have also been installed as part of the project, offering many benefits, including a long-life and greater illumination.

Contact Reference: Wendy Pryer - Phone: 6310 1576 or 0409 796 999