Sheraton Meadows and Surrounds: Network Upgrade

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.

Learn More and Have Your Say: Upcoming Community Sessions

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We’ll be out and about in the Dubbo community over the coming weeks for local residents to connect with our team, keep you updated on project design and discuss the upcoming works at the following times and locations:
Pop-up at Wellington Markets: Saturday 27^th June; 8.30am-1pm
Community drop-in session at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, 22^nd and 23^rd July 5-7pm
Please use this form to register your attendance at the July Community Drop-In sessions, in case of any last minute schedule or location changes.
If you can't attend these events but would like to arrange a meeting with our team or sign-up to our Quarterly Project Newsletter, please email us at landandcommunity@essentialenergy.com.au
We’ll be out and about in the Dubbo community over the coming weeks for local residents to connect with our team, keep you updated on project design and discuss the upcoming works at the following times and locations:
Pop-up at Wellington Markets: Saturday 27^th June; 8.30am-1pm
Community drop-in session at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, 22^nd and 23^rd July 5-7pm
Please use this form to register your attendance at the July Community Drop-In sessions, in case of any last minute schedule or location changes.
If you can't attend these events but would like to arrange a meeting with our team or sign-up to our Quarterly Project Newsletter, please email us at landandcommunity@essentialenergy.com.au
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Here's what you can expect the new poles to look like

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Steel poles will be used to replace existing concrete poles and in rural areas, the H-pole structures, to support the upgraded network.
The final pole design will depend on local site conditions, engineering requirements and environmental considerations. Most poles are expected to be between 28 and 34 metres high, and pole locations, heights and foundation designs will be confirmed following:
survey works
geotechnical investigations
environmental assessments
detailed engineering design.
Typically, the project will use dual-circuit 132kV structures, however, in Sheraton Meadows, where there are two lines though the easement, one line will be dual circuit (strung on both sides of the pole - right hand side of the second image below) and the other will be a single circuit on a dual-circuit pole (where lines are strung on one-side of the pole only - as pictured on the left hand side of the second image below).

Current Structures

Proposed Future Structures
Steel poles will be used to replace existing concrete poles and in rural areas, the H-pole structures, to support the upgraded network.
The final pole design will depend on local site conditions, engineering requirements and environmental considerations. Most poles are expected to be between 28 and 34 metres high, and pole locations, heights and foundation designs will be confirmed following:
survey works
geotechnical investigations
environmental assessments
detailed engineering design.
Typically, the project will use dual-circuit 132kV structures, however, in Sheraton Meadows, where there are two lines though the easement, one line will be dual circuit (strung on both sides of the pole - right hand side of the second image below) and the other will be a single circuit on a dual-circuit pole (where lines are strung on one-side of the pole only - as pictured on the left hand side of the second image below).

Current Structures

Proposed Future Structures
Site Investigations: Geurie to Dubbo

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This article has been archived
Corridor where works will likely take place - current easement is 45m in width

Site investigations will commence between Geurie and Dubbo in November 2025 to understand local ground conditions, and any cultural and ecological sensitivities. Surveys will take place predominantly in Essential Energy’s existing easements and powerline corridors. However, at times, access to the easements may be required via private land. If this is the case, Essential Energy will contact landowners and seek landowner consent before accessing the property. This would include an understanding of any requirements such as biosecurity restrictions, and preferred access procedures and locations.

Site investigations will involve taking soil and rock data or samples using low-impact methods, such as small diameter borehole drilling and cone penetration tests. Visual inspections will also be carried out, focusing on ecology and Indigenous heritage. These investigations will also allow Essential Energy to better understand how to configure any future network upgrades to minimise impacts on affected landowners.
Depending on individual site characteristics, equipment used in site investigations may include:
Track-mounted drill rigs
Support Trucks
Float Trucks
Light commercial vehicles
Investigations will likely result in some noise and dust. At the conclusion of the investigations, sample holes will be backfilled, capped and covered. The time for each borehole varies, with works generally completed in one day. If the work extends beyond a day, the drill rig may remain onsite overnight (with owner’s permission).
In the event that rock core drilling is required (rather than just an auger), water will be used. When the hole is finished, the water used during drilling is poured down the hole and the small amount of excess is tipped on the ground.
Work hours will be 7am – 5pm.
Corridor where works will likely take place - current easement is 45m in width

Site investigations will commence between Geurie and Dubbo in November 2025 to understand local ground conditions, and any cultural and ecological sensitivities. Surveys will take place predominantly in Essential Energy’s existing easements and powerline corridors. However, at times, access to the easements may be required via private land. If this is the case, Essential Energy will contact landowners and seek landowner consent before accessing the property. This would include an understanding of any requirements such as biosecurity restrictions, and preferred access procedures and locations.

Site investigations will involve taking soil and rock data or samples using low-impact methods, such as small diameter borehole drilling and cone penetration tests. Visual inspections will also be carried out, focusing on ecology and Indigenous heritage. These investigations will also allow Essential Energy to better understand how to configure any future network upgrades to minimise impacts on affected landowners.
Depending on individual site characteristics, equipment used in site investigations may include:
Track-mounted drill rigs
Support Trucks
Float Trucks
Light commercial vehicles
Investigations will likely result in some noise and dust. At the conclusion of the investigations, sample holes will be backfilled, capped and covered. The time for each borehole varies, with works generally completed in one day. If the work extends beyond a day, the drill rig may remain onsite overnight (with owner’s permission).
In the event that rock core drilling is required (rather than just an auger), water will be used. When the hole is finished, the water used during drilling is poured down the hole and the small amount of excess is tipped on the ground.
Work hours will be 7am – 5pm.
Upcoming Works and Community Drop-In Sessions| Wellington to Dubbo

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This article has been archived
What is happening

EE staff and contractors will be involved in land surveys, geo-technical investigations (including ecological and cultural heritage studies) on both sides of the Mitchell Highway between Wellington and Dubbo

Once design is approved, construction will commence between Wellington and Geurie (South-Western side of the highway) in August 2026

Consultation with affected landowners, community groups and key stakeholders has commenced and will continue throughout these works

During Site Investigations and Construction

You’ll see a range of machinery and equipment, including drill rigs, trucks, excavators and cranes being used. There’ll also be elevated work platforms/cherry pickers in operation and equipment used to string wires between power poles.

Some noise and dust are expected from construction activities. We’ll work to minimise this wherever possible.

There’ll be an increase in vehicle activity while crews are on site. Traffic management will be in place to maintain access for residents and provide safety of the public and workers.

For safety reasons, there will be times where power will need to be temporarily interrupted while the work is completed. Residents affected by planned outages will receive Essential Energy's standard outage notification advising the dates and times of outages affecting them, closer to the outage dates.

When new galvanised steel power poles are installed, their shiny surface can cause temporary glare. Natural dulling occurs over time as they are exposed to sunlight, rain, and wind.

To keep the network safe and maintain reliability, we’ll be working with local councils and landholders to manage or remove vegetation, and replace where appropriate.

Learn More and Have Your Say

To keep you informed and hear your feedback, we’d like to offer you three opportunities to connect with our team and discuss the works at our upcoming community drop-in sessions:

Tuesday 17^th March: 5-8pm at Wongarbon CWA Rooms,

Wednesday 18^th March: 5-8pm at Geurie Bowling Club

Thursday 19^th March: 5-7pm at NEW VENUE: Western Plains Cultural Centre, 76 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo

Please use this form to register your attendance, in case of any last minute schedule or location changes.
What is happening

EE staff and contractors will be involved in land surveys, geo-technical investigations (including ecological and cultural heritage studies) on both sides of the Mitchell Highway between Wellington and Dubbo

Once design is approved, construction will commence between Wellington and Geurie (South-Western side of the highway) in August 2026

Consultation with affected landowners, community groups and key stakeholders has commenced and will continue throughout these works

During Site Investigations and Construction

You’ll see a range of machinery and equipment, including drill rigs, trucks, excavators and cranes being used. There’ll also be elevated work platforms/cherry pickers in operation and equipment used to string wires between power poles.

Some noise and dust are expected from construction activities. We’ll work to minimise this wherever possible.

There’ll be an increase in vehicle activity while crews are on site. Traffic management will be in place to maintain access for residents and provide safety of the public and workers.

For safety reasons, there will be times where power will need to be temporarily interrupted while the work is completed. Residents affected by planned outages will receive Essential Energy's standard outage notification advising the dates and times of outages affecting them, closer to the outage dates.

When new galvanised steel power poles are installed, their shiny surface can cause temporary glare. Natural dulling occurs over time as they are exposed to sunlight, rain, and wind.

To keep the network safe and maintain reliability, we’ll be working with local councils and landholders to manage or remove vegetation, and replace where appropriate.

Learn More and Have Your Say

To keep you informed and hear your feedback, we’d like to offer you three opportunities to connect with our team and discuss the works at our upcoming community drop-in sessions:

Tuesday 17^th March: 5-8pm at Wongarbon CWA Rooms,

Wednesday 18^th March: 5-8pm at Geurie Bowling Club

Thursday 19^th March: 5-7pm at NEW VENUE: Western Plains Cultural Centre, 76 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo

Please use this form to register your attendance, in case of any last minute schedule or location changes.