Latest news with #WesternPower
ABC News
11 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Western Power tells Bremer Bay hotel to 'buy generator' for blackouts
A regional business owner says she has been advised to purchase a diesel generator by Western Australia's state-run power provider if she wants a guaranteed electricity supply to her hotel. Bremer Bay, 500 kilometres south of Perth, has a population of about 571, rising steeply on weekends and holiday periods as tourists flock to the pristine coastline. Businesses and residents said power supply to the town, which sits at the edge of the state's largest energy network, the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), has not kept pace with the growing population. Over the Easter and Anzac Day holiday period, residents were hit with half a dozen power outages over 10 days. For 22 years Melissa Joy has owned the Bremer Bay Resort, a pub, restaurant and motel that can serve up to 450 guests at any one time. "Over the years, there have been lots of power issues, but in recent months we've noticed it growing increasingly worse, which is quite alarming," she said. "We have outages quite regularly and quite often, anywhere from a 10-second outage to one hour or even more on a regular basis. "It seems to be worse when we have high numbers coming to town." Western Power blamed the outages on severe weather and "atypical" demand. But with tourism increasingly critical to the town's economy, Ms Joy said outages during peak periods were not acceptable. "It has a huge impact, it's highly disruptive and really quite unacceptable." When the issue was raised with Western Power, Ms Joy said she was advised to purchase a generator for the business at her own cost. "The electricity bills to run this business are over $65,000 a year," she said. Western Power did not respond to claims that it had advised businesses in the region to purchase diesel generators. In a statement, the power utility said it understood the frustrations that unplanned power outages caused residents, and acknowledged the community was prone to more blackouts. It said "some back-up power supply" was in place to support the community, but faults that occurred within the Bremer town site could limit its utility. The situation highlights the complexity WA's legislated power monopoly leaves some regional customers facing. Western Power, a statutory corporation, is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the SWIS. But Synergy is responsible for the generation and sales of power to customers connected to the network. Business owners said the backup wind-diesel power station, owned and operated by Synergy, was inadequate to service Bremer Bay and nearby settlements. Bremer Bay General Store manager Danielle Formica said the business had spent $30,000 on a new generator to keep the shop running. "It's probably the worst year we've had over the years; there were three occasions over the course of four days where we had to run solely on cash," she said. "The locals are a population of about 300–400, but the majority [of people in town during peak season] are 15 to 20,000-plus tourists. "We're not just going to give an IOU, so we lost thousands here at the store." A Synergy spokesperson said it did not manage the Bremer Bay power supply network, but its wind-diesel plant had the capacity to provide 40 per cent of Bremer Bay's energy requirements. It also said four Synergy-owned back-up diesel generators were available to Western Power when managing network outages in the region. However, the patchwork of backup energy infrastructure has infuriated residents who are also being forced to find backup options to power essential appliances. Paul Taylor bought a house at Bremer Bay with the aim of retiring on the south coast. But the 66-year-old, diagnosed with neuropathy of the diaphragm, requires a CPAP machine to help him sleep. "My diaphragm doesn't work, and when I lie down to go to sleep, my diaphragm falls against my lungs, and it makes it very difficult for me to breathe, so my doctors have put me on a CPAP machine so I can sleep at night. "I'm looking at options, having to buy a generator or a CPAP machine that has its own battery system if there is a power failure, but these things are like $10,000, so it's not a good option." Western Power said it was exploring solutions to improve reliability.
West Australian
28-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Western Power fails to deliver Santich Park floodlights in time for footy season, kids hurt training in dark
The West Australian exclusive Western Power fails to deliver Santich Park floodlights in time for footy season, kids hurt training in dark
New Paper
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
May 17 Australia race analysis of last five Belmont races
RACE 13 (5) WESTERN POWER has done it tough at two of his last three and yet still gone well. There is no speed in this, so we may expect to see a rare cerise-and-white (owner Bob Peters' colours) leader with jockey Lucy Fiore likely to roll forward on him. (2) TRIO beat Western Power home last time they met, but concedes him 1.5kg for a nose margin and will likely concede him a decent head-start in running. (1) CLASSIC ROGUE is ready to win. His first-up 1,000m effort was outstanding, his second-up 1,200m run even better and he is now third-up out to 1,600m. Re-handicapped race with a raised minimum does not suit him, but he is flying. (6) BONDI PLUNGE is consistent. RACE 15 (5) CATCH CARTER and (10) AMERICAN ESCAPE are both really well placed as three-year-olds taking on the older horses. Going to side up with Catch Carter, who drops 3kg from a Saturday three-year-old race behind Kay Tee Why, Desert Whisper and finishing ahead of subsequent winner Haida Gwaii into this Graduation 60+ where he can settle closer from a more favourable draw in two. American Escape put the writing on the wall with her three-length trial win and, on the minimum from an ideal barrier 4, will be hard to beat. (2) SKY DUKE deserves to pinch another one this prep with the way he is going. (3) LOST GRAVITY got a confidence-boosting win at Albany. RACE 16 (7) BOHEMIAN DIAMOND won back-to-back races in emphatic fashion first-up and second-up last preparation, before being sent out as favourite from a horrible alley in a Westspeed Platinum race that contained Profit Pocket - that is huge market respect. Her recent trial was great and, from the draw, she will be able to park up just behind the speed. Looks like a mare who is ready to go through the grades. (13) OCEAN GODDESS looks to be screaming out for further. It is only 100m but it will help. (3) HAMMARMILL got the job done last start from three back on the fence and is likely to be in the same spot in this. (6) VALDARENA improves second-up and to Belmont. RACE 18 (16) TREBLE MAKER returned from a 16-month spell at Pinjarra on April 9 with a fast-finishing second in a Class 1 on a heavy leader-biased programme. Since then, she has put together two impressive victories in Kalgoorlie and now gets into the Racing WA Provincial Championship Series Final on the 54kg minimum from an ideal barrier 6. She has got a nice turn of foot and should enjoy a soft run. (2) PLATINUM SHOT went around in a Graduation 60+ last start and worked to the line solidly behind capable stablemate Madame Magic. (3) CAMERA ACTION is drawn in the carpark but is on the six-day spin. (14) SECRET ATTIRE improves quickly in her preparation. Third at her last two starts. RACE 20 (8) CORRECT CHOICE was back to his best last start with a sweeping victory over 1,500m in the last race at Ascot on May 3. Take away his one below-par run behind Blazing Emerald and he looks a progressive four-year-old who can continue on through the grades over winter. Great faith being shown in Brayden Gaerth throughout the entire programme. (1) SPEED DREAM does not go at Ascot and yet last weekend, still rattled into second behind Siberian Siren. Belmont is his go. (12) BLACK ORA was below her best last start and now rises from 1,000 to 1,400m. She is a really nice filly but that has to be a query. (4) DUG ANOTHER HOLE has gone from a maiden to 59kg in a 66+ all in one prep. Super effort. Comments courtesy of Racing WA Comments courtesy of Racing WA
