Electricity supplier Energex has announced that more than 13,000 homes and businesses will benefit from the recent completion of a two-year, $9.6 million electricity upgrade in Maroochy Shire in Brisbane, Australia.

The project involved the installation of a new transformer at Energex’s West Maroochydore substation and three new underground electricity cables in the Shire.

Geoff Wilson, minister for mines and energy, said: The substation upgrade would more than double local electricity capacity, while the three new underground electricity cables would further strengthen the ability to deliver the additional power. The three underground cables are around the Jones Road substation, two to the north and one to the west.

Analysis of the growth in demand for electricity highlights that some areas of the Sunshine Coast are growing by up to 12% a year – easily one of the highest rises in Australia. This demand growth is not likely to slow in the foreseeable future with an additional 150,000 people expected to be living on the Sunshine Coast area in the next 15 years.