More than 22 km of 132,000 Volt cable will be laid beneath roads, railway lines and creeks to form the vital link between the major electricity supply point in Beaconsfield and the three electricity substations.
Crews are expected to start the Sydney inner west stage of works in mid-2011 and will complete a 271 m underwater crossing of the Cooks River as part of the project.
The project will include twin bores, each having a 950 mm diameter and containing three 225 mm diameter conduits.
These bores will have HDPE liners and cradles for the internal conduits.
Ausgrid General Manager Transmission Trevor Armstrong said the existing underground cable network had served the community well for almost 40 years but it was now time to replace it.
“These are major electricity cables that will be the backbone of the area’s electricity supply,” Mr Armstrong said.
“This is one of the largest electrical replacement projects for the state, and once complete it will help power more than 40,000 homes and businesses for the next 50 years.”
The project is scheduled for completion in early 2013.