On 18 March 2019 the Northern Territory Government announced funding to underground power supply to nine Darwin suburban schools.
This saw almost every Darwin suburb that has above ground power receive a benefit from the re-started underground power program.
The works provide added security and reliability of power supply with the network being more resilient to extreme weather and electrical storms.
During severe weather events these works may help schools to avoid losing power, enabling them to remain open and provide safe environments for students while recovery efforts are underway.
It was expected to take several years to complete the undergrounding of power supply to nine Darwin schools.
The schools connected to underground power are:
- Wagaman Primary School - completed July 2019
- Nemarluk School - completed November 2019
- Alawa Primary School - completed November 2019
- Larrakeyah Primary School - completed February 2020
- Moil Primary School - completed February 2020
- Jingili Primary School - completed February 2020
- Parap Primary School - completed May 2021
- Stuart Park Primary School - completed January 2022
- St Johns College - completed October 2023.
The undergrounding works involved excavating, drilling, backfilling and reinstating of roads, verges, footpaths and driveways.
While Power and Water endeavoured to keep any disruption to a minimum during this project, it is acknowledged that undergrounding of power infrastructure brings some disruptions to suburban homes and neighbourhoods.
Undergrounding works commenced on site in Wagaman in July 2019.
Darwin’s previous undergrounding power project commenced in July 2002. The suburbs of Nightcliff, Rapid Creek and Millner were completed when funding ceased in 2010.
Frequently asked questions
Power and Water, with contractors will commence works to underground power supply to the College in December 2022.
The order of schools is based on frequency and duration of power interruptions in the suburb and the ease/difficulty of construction.
The duration of undergrounding works in a suburb may range from a few weeks to a couple of months. This depends on the distance to be undergrounded and the ease/difficulty of construction.
The proposed order of schools with scheduled start and finish dates, subject to constructability, is shown below.
School | Suburb | Works start | Works finish |
|---|---|---|---|
Wagaman Primary School | Wagaman | Jul 19 | Jul 19 - Complete |
Nemarluk School | Alawa | Oct 19 | Nov 19 - Complete |
Alawa Primary School | Alawa | Oct 19 | Nov 19 - Complete |
Larrakeyah Primary School | Larrakeyah | Dec 19 | Feb 20 - Complete |
Moil Primary School | Moil | Dec 19 | Feb 20 - Complete |
Jingili Primary School | Jingili | Feb 20 | Feb 20 - Complete |
Parap Primary School | Parap | Dec 20 | May 21 - Complete |
Stuart Park Primary School | Stuart Park | Jul 21 | Jan 22 - Complete |
St Johns College | The Gardens | Dec 22 |
The Northern Territory Government has provided funding specifically to underground power supply to nine Darwin suburban schools.
Undergrounding power supply to the schools will see almost every Darwin residential suburb that has above ground power receive a benefit from this project. During severe weather events this work will help schools to avoid losing power and enable them to remain open, providing safe environments for children while recovery efforts occur.
The schools underground connection funding does not allow for private property connections.
Underground cables will be installed to provide power to the school only. No overhead powerlines and poles will be taken out of service and removed as they are still required to provide power to homes.
The undergrounding works may involve excavating, drilling, backfilling and reinstating of roads, verges, footpaths and driveways (to Council specification). It is likely that the works will produce some noise and dust and temporary access restrictions.
While Power and Water will endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum during this project, it is acknowledged that undergrounding of power infrastructure will bring some temporary inconvenience to suburban homes and neighbourhoods.
The preferred method to underground power infrastructure is to shallow trench approximately 450mm wide and 550mm deep dug along the footpath/nature strip.
The main steps to put power underground are:
Step 1: Involves digging a shallow trench along the footpath/nature strip, across road crossings and driveways. Conduits are then laid and the trench backfilled with cement-stabilised sand. A concrete cover is laid as protection for the conduits and to serve as the footpath and road crossings and driveways reinstated.
Step 2: Involves installing cables into the new conduits from the existing infrastructure which are then terminated at the schools existing supply point.
Step 3: Involves changing the power supply from overhead to the new underground supply.
Residents whose properties will be directly affected by the works will be notified by a letter placed in the letterbox around one to two weeks prior to the works commencing.
Electronic signage may also be placed in the area to advise people of the works.
Any damage caused by the works will be reinstated by Power and Water or our contractors.
Driveways will be trenched. Conduits are then laid and the trench backfilled with cement-stabilised sand and the driveway reinstated.
Power and Water will arrange for driveways to be reinstated that are disturbed by the underground works, to meet City of Darwin requirements.
We will need to temporarily block access to properties on two occasions.
- As trenching moves across driveways and access gates.
We expect the access interruption to only last for a couple of hours – long enough to trench, lay the conduit and backfill the trench. - As the driveway and footpath is reinstated.
We expect this access interruption to last long enough for the cement to dry. However, we can lay steel plates across the trench where needed.
No power supply interruptions are anticipated as a result of these works.
Since the late 70s, all new urban residential developments have been required to have underground power. Today, around half of Darwin customers are supplied by underground power infrastructure.
