Denmark powers up, water down

Farm Weekly
10/01/2008 Page: 144

TWO significant issues facing communities in the Denmark-Walpole region are the adequate supplies of power and water. For some time the supply of these essential utilities has been under threat with power fluctuations and severe water restrictions becoming a regular inconvenience. The uniform supply of power to a community is of vital importance and the success of businesses and tourist ventures in the region are affected substantially by an irregular or insufficient power supply.

Denmark Shire president Kim Barrow said in April last year that the towns have the equivalent of a Third World power supply after prolonged blackouts cost local businesses thousands of dollars in lost trade during the Easter holiday weekend. Energy Minister Francis Logan refuted the claim but the State Government moved quickly to overcome the problem.

Western Power committed to spend $14 million in Denmark and Walpole in five years from May last year to improve electricity supply to the area starting with $2 million to install voltage regulators at Torbay and Tingledale and a new line section at the Albany end of the lines to Denmark and Walpole. Unless power demands rise greatly in five years another $10m will be spent on a new 22kV line to Denmark by 2012.

Other improvements from the Regional Power Improvement Scheme include replacing wood poles and pole top equipment coated with silicon to reduce pole top fires. Western Power and the Government were also criticised by the Denmark Chamber of Commerce in 2007 for a failure to develop a new policy on charges for new connections in outlying areas. The utility said the fault lay with the Government which was debating a subsidy for remote users.

After waiting for about eight months, Denmark and Walpole residents were finally able to apply for a new power connection in early September, with the approval process taking between four to six weeks. About 30 applications had been put on hold while the Government decision was being debated. But its planning for sustainable power to the area has identified the value of electricity generated by wind farms.

The success of the Albany wind farm which provides, on average, about 75pc of the city's power, encouraged the establishment of the Denmark Community Wind Farm Project. Considerable community debate has occurred but a chosen site at Wilson Head will minimise visual and noise impact for residents and limit environmental disturbance while also being a particularly effective site because of regular winds. Wilson Head's proximity to an existing high voltage power line will reduce the cost of supplying power to the grid.

Although the existing infrastructure's capacity has meant a reduction in the size of the original windfarm it is envisaged it could provide about 55pc of the current power consumption of the area while also enabling a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. "Land vesting agreements and contracts to supply power between the Denmark Community Wind Farm and the State Government are still to be finalised;" Denmark Community Wind Farm chairman Craig Chappelle said.

"We will then order the turbines from the European suppliers, which could take between 18 months and two years to be supplied, especially in light of the substantial increase of windfarms across Europe." The windfarm has the capacity to expand its power supply which is an advantage with the Denmark area developing at its current rate and the resulting construction of new community services.

"The building of a new hospital, due for completion in September 2008, will provide an increase in aged care beds and a larger facility for ancillary health services," Mr Barrow said. "Coupled with other independent aged care facilities being developed currently, the town will be able retain a greater proportion of elderly residents who previously were forced to move away." A number of subdivisions, both private and Government backed, will provide the opportunities for more people to move into the area.

These improvements, as well as a steady increase in tourism ventures such as cellar door sales and restaurant facilities at many of the region's wineries, will also result in an increase in employment. Although in a high rainfall region, Denmark has experienced several dry years and the water supply is reaching a crisis point with the town dam below 30pc capacity and level five water restrictions.