Power Systems

Power stations, transmission lines, terminal stations, transformers, substations, and all of rest of electrical engineering, from Victoria and further afield.

Private security lighting on public poles

Something odd I’ve noticed over the years is floodlights shining onto private property from public power poles. So who foots the bill for them? They’re a common sight in industrial areas. Their orange glow shining onto locked up warehouses. From atop power poles. But with no power meter to be found anywhere. And an answer […]

“This power pole belongs to”

At primary school they tell parents “label everything”. But slapping a “this pole belongs to [power company]” sign seems like overkill – who is going to steal a bloody power pole planted into the ground? But there is a reason behind these signs – and Jeff Kennett is to blame. In the beginning, the State […]

Ardeer, Sunshine West and high voltage power lines

Now you see it, now you don’t – this is the story of the high voltage power lines that were planned to pass through Ardeer and Sunshine West, but thanks to community action never came to be. A mystery My story starts in April 2010, when I paid a visit to Ardeer to photograph the […]

On the trail of a high voltage transmission line

The other day I was reading The Age and saw a photo of scene I swear I’ve seen before, but I couldn’t put my finger on the exact location. So let’s go chase down some high voltage power lines, and see where they take us. Nicole Cleary photo via The Age On the trail The […]

A history of gas fired power generation in Victoria

The dinosaurs in the Australian fossil fuel industry have been fighting the rise of renewable solar and wind power, with a recent tactic being the promotion of natural gas as a ‘clean’ fuel for the transition from coal. This is the story of how Victoria has used natural gas for the generation of electricity. In […]