We’re upgrading transmission towers between Heywood and Alcoa Portland to help maintain a safe and reliable electricity network.
Project overview
We’re replacing ageing transmission towers along the Heywood to Alcoa Portland 500 kV transmission line to maintain a safe and reliable electricity network. These works are part of our ongoing maintenance and upgrade program to keep electricity flowing safely and reliably for the communities and industries that rely on the network. The towers are in a coastal environment, where saltwater can speed up the deterioration of metal infrastructure. Replacing the towers will help strengthen the long-term resilience of Victoria’s transmission network.
Project update
We started replacing seven transmission towers and the expected completion date for this work is December 2026.
To maintain a reliable power supply while we replace the towers, we successfully transferred both 500 kV circuits to temporary monopole structures.
Project timeline
This project will be delivered in stages over several years, starting near the coast and moving inland.
Stage 1: Happening now
We’re replacing seven steel transmission towers and installing four additional monopoles along the Heywood to Alcoa Portland 500 kV transmission line on Alcoa-owned land. This started in November 2025 and is due for completion by December 2026.
Stage 2: To be completed in 2028
Additional towers along the line may be replaced or have parts of their structures replaced or upgraded. The scope of works for this stage will be confirmed after further inspections and assessments.
Community impacts
Construction may cause temporary impacts, including noise, dust and increased traffic from trucks and other heavy vehicles accessing work sites.
Traffic management may be in place near work areas. Not all locations will be under traffic management at the same time.
We’ll work with impacted landholders, local stakeholders and our delivery partners to manage the works safely and minimise disruption where we can.
Community engagement
We’ll continue to keep directly impacted landholders and stakeholders informed as the project progresses.
Contact
If you have any questions about these works, please contact us:
Phone: 1300 360 795 (8am to 5pm, weekdays)