Underground Power - North Perth/Mt Hawthorn

The City of Vincent is asking ratepayers in the North Perth/Mt Hawthorn underground power project area to confirm their preferred payment option.

Construction will start in parts of North Perth and Mt Hawthorn in early 2025 and all ratepayers in this area should have received a letter with information about the cost for their property and the payment options Vincent can provide.

Important: if you have received a letter, we are asking you to reply indicating your preferred payment method before 16 December 2024.

Western Power and Vincent will be holding a community information session on Saturday 30 November 9am-12pm at Hobart Street Reserve and we encourage you to come along to ask any questions you may have about underground power.

Background

Western Power, the State Government and Vincent have committed to converting distribution powerlines to underground power, delivering reliable and safe power while improving street appeal, allowing the tree canopy to flourish and creating opportunities for emerging technologies.

Council’s vision in its 10-year Strategic Community Plan is for Vincent to be a leafy and vibrant 24-hour city synonymous with quality design and sustainability. Undergrounding power will help achieve this vision quicker than any other single project in our history.

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 22 October 2024, Council authorised the signing of an agreement with Western Power to co-fund the project. Signing of the co-funding agreement greenlights the construction of the new underground electricity distribution network in the North Perth/Mt Hawthorn project area.

Project details

As part of this project in the North Perth/Mt Hawthorn area, Western Power will be installing new underground cabling, primary equipment (transformers and switchgear) and LED streetlights to replace existing power poles and overhead powerlines.

North Perth/Mt Hawthorn is the first of eight project areas in Vincent to move into the construction and delivery phase. Construction works are expected to commence in early 2025 and take approximately 22 months to complete.

The cost of this major project will be shared between Western Power and ratepayers.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Ratepayers will be required to contribute towards the cost of undergrounding power to their properties. This cost will be mandatory and issued on the rate notice in the 2025/26 financial year. All property owners in the project area will have a charge applied. See FAQs to the right of this page for more details.

Vincent is offering ratepayers the option to either:

1. pay the total cost in the 2025/26 financial year, or
2. spread the cost across four annual instalments, commencing in 2025/26 (this option attracts an interest charge).

If you opt for the instalment option and sell your property before the service charge is fully paid, then the outstanding balance will become due and payable upon settlement.

To enable us to fund the four-year instalment option for those who need it, we require advance notice of how many ratepayers would take up this option.

In November 2024, all property owners in this project area will receive a letter from Vincent advising the cost for their property and asking them to respond with their preferred payment option before 16 December 2024.

This can be done via the reply-paid envelope using the form provided, or electronically below.

If we do not receive a reply either using the tear off slip attached to the letter or by completing the survey below, the full amount will be charged on the rate notice in 2025/26.

Responding electronically

If you choose to indicate your payment options via the survey below, you will need to provide your name, property address and the reference number as shown on the letter you received from Vincent.

**If you are authorised to respond on behalf of the ratepayer to whom the letter was addressed, you will also need to provide your name and relationship to the ratepayer.

You can contact us in any of the following ways:

• By phone 9273 6000
• By email mail@vincent.wa.gov.au (External link)
• By appointment in person at the City of Vincent Community Centre, 99 Loftus Street, Leederville (during business hours). Note: From 23 October, Customer Relations are temporarily located here due to building works in the Administration Building foyer. Signage will be in place.
• In writing, by mail to PO Box 82, Leederville, 6902

This consultation will close 4pm Monday, 16 December 2024.

What will happen next?

We will record your payment option request. The relevant charge for underground power associated with your property will be included in your rate notice for the 2025/26 financial year.

Information on this page is available in alternative formats on request.