By Jessica Micallef
Construction has begun on a larger Kyneton power depot.
Electricity distribution business Powercor invested $10 million to build a new Kyneton-based depot on Redesdale Road, down the road from the existing depot.
The depot will have improved office areas, storage for equipment and fleet, additional parking and truck sheds and wash areas.
The project is expected to support Powercor’s expansion of its workforce.
Kyneton field leader Phil Robinson said the upgrade will help reinforce Powercor’s commitment to the Macedon Ranges.
“Our local depot allows crews to manager and respond quickly to network faults and customer needs,” he said.
“The current facility was built 40 years ago. It was built in a different era to accommodate different equipment and trucks.
“The works will allow us to construct a fit-for-purpose facility that can accommodate the large, modern equipment our crews use to maintain electrical infrastructure.”
The current depot was built in 1979 and accommodates 20 employees including field crews, engineers and planners. The new depot is expected to support up to a 25 per cent increase in field resources.
Crews and employees at the depot support customers in Kyneton, Woodend, Trentham, Redesdale, Spring Hill, Malmsbury, Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Romsey, Lancefield and Pyalong.
In the Macedon Ranges, employees at the current depot operate and maintain more than 16,000 electricity poles, 2137 kilometres of powerlines and almost 3900 distribution transformers that deliver power to more than 21,827 Powercor customers.
Construction of the new Redesdale Road depot started last month. The depot is expected to be completed by mid next year.
