Mosman Park powers up to put lines underground

MOSMAN Park Council wants underground power, costing an estimated $20 million, for all the remaining 2250 homes without the service in the suburb.

“We’ve got half the town to go, and there are some strategic ways of doing it,” Mayor Brett Pollock said.

At February’s meeting, councillors decided to established a committee to lobby for the burying of all remaining electricity lines.

Underground power is in only part of the town after an initial project in the early-2000s, when the program started across selected suburbs.

Several subsequent applications to continue the work in the suburb failed, and requests for more streets to lose their overhead power cables are now frequently requested by residents.

“It’s one of the highest priorities our ratepayers put in the annual Catalyst survey of our town,” Mr Pollock said.

However, State Government funding rounds every 5-6 years were “too intermittent” to develop a lasting strategy.

The committee of councillors, staff and experts will be gathering information about the best ways to fund the final work, and develop relationships with the key decision makers including Western Power.

The initial underground power projects comprised contributions from ratepayers, councils and previous governments.

Greater amounts from councils, such as the Town of Claremont, have also funded proposed projects recently.

Mr Pollock said “lots” of ways to potentially fund the work would be investigated, but the lines could be buried in small parts over a longer period in Mosman Park.

He said the key could be connecting the streets identified by the committee as most needing of underground lines with the long-term maintenance plans of Western Power.

The committee may also determine if it was best to continue the council’s saving fund for the work, or seek alternatives such as entering public-private partnerships.