Dubbo and Surrounds High Voltage Upgrades

In parts of Dubbo and the surrounding communities, we're making some big upgrades to our high voltage electricity network which supports homes, businesses, industry and the mining sector- from Wellington through Dubbo to Cobar and beyond. This will help us keep providing you with a safe, reliable, and resilient power supply. It will also allow us to connect new loads and renewable energy sources to the network.

One of the major changes you'll notice is the replacement of some of our existing timber and concrete power poles. The new poles will be taller and made of steel, meaning they’ll look different to the poles that you see now. We'll also be stringing new overhead wires. These significant visual changes are part of our efforts to improve the network.

Our local Essential Energy teams, along with contractors, traffic controllers, and specialists, will be carrying out these major works. We're working in many locations and will do our best to minimise disruptions to the community. Over the next 12 months, you might experience some power outages, general construction activities, and occasional road closures- we’ll have traffic control in place. Customers impacted by power outages will receive prior notification.

Please follow along here for all the latest news, project updates and information.

In parts of Dubbo and the surrounding communities, we're making some big upgrades to our high voltage electricity network which supports homes, businesses, industry and the mining sector- from Wellington through Dubbo to Cobar and beyond. This will help us keep providing you with a safe, reliable, and resilient power supply. It will also allow us to connect new loads and renewable energy sources to the network.

One of the major changes you'll notice is the replacement of some of our existing timber and concrete power poles. The new poles will be taller and made of steel, meaning they’ll look different to the poles that you see now. We'll also be stringing new overhead wires. These significant visual changes are part of our efforts to improve the network.

Our local Essential Energy teams, along with contractors, traffic controllers, and specialists, will be carrying out these major works. We're working in many locations and will do our best to minimise disruptions to the community. Over the next 12 months, you might experience some power outages, general construction activities, and occasional road closures- we’ll have traffic control in place. Customers impacted by power outages will receive prior notification.

Please follow along here for all the latest news, project updates and information.

  • Progress Update 17 July 2025

    As we continue to make our way south through Keswick drilling holes, we've been able to commence standing new poles where concrete foundations have cured around Birch Avenue and Hennessy Drive.

    See some pictures below of the new poles.

  • Progress Update 23 May 2025

    supporting image

    Boring of foundations for the new poles is underway with holes mostly completed between Birch Avenue and the Mitchell Highway. Concrete has been poured which will take a few weeks to cure and then we can return to erect the new power poles in this section.

    Next week (26 May), we will commence boring of foundations from Hindmarsh Esplanade, heading south towards our Zone Substation near the greyhound racing club. We don't anticipate any impacts to roads or traffic but there will be noise from the drilling rig as it bores holes during normal construction hours.


  • Here's what you can expect the new poles to look like

    • Up to 34m tall
    • Steel composition
    • Concrete footing base

  • Some of the equipment we'll be using

    • Prime movers/Semi trailers
    • Drilling rigs
    • Cranes
    • Elevated Work Platforms
    • Excavators/Backhoes
    • Stringing equipment
    • Pole bores
    • Traffic signs
    • Temporary fencing


  • Work zone maps and impacts


Page last updated: 31 Jul 2025, 11:41 AM