Ausgrid has officially opened its new Beresfield depot today, which is set to improve electricity services for Hunter residents.
The depot on Weakleys Drive at Beresfield is less than a kilometre from the M1 Pacific Motorway and the New England Highway, which will provide quick access for maintenance crews to the Hunter region.
The new facility was opened by Ausgrid CEO, Richard Gross this morning, and will replace the former site at Rutherford.
Ausgrid hopes that power outage times will decrease because of the location of the new depot.
"For our customers, that means we will be able to provide improved responses during emergencies," Mr Gross said.
80 members of staff have started work at the new facility today, having been relocated from the Rutherford depot which will now close. The old site was constructed in 1965 but has been superseded by the Beresfield facility.
The new facility will reduce power outage times in the Hunter, and will allow easier maintenance to infrastructure.
"The depot will provide our employees with a new, modern, and fit for purpose facility to better support our customers right across the Lower Hunter and Newcastle," Mr Gross said.
Construction began for the facility in February and finished in October.
Ausgrid spokesperson, Jonathan Hall says residents will be able to notice better electricity service in the Hunter.
"The big benefit for customers is an improved and more efficient response to local outages. Because we'll have all of our crews together working from one site, they'll actually be able to work more efficiently together," Mr Hall said.
"That includes things like planning repairs and planned outages, but also responding to any emergencies on the network. We'll have everyone co-located and they'll be able to work together and get out there to get the power back on."
The construction of the facility comes part of an investment programme in the Hunter electricity network which is being upgraded to cater for population growth.
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| The new Ausgrid facility is now open on Weakleys Drive at Beresfield and will service the Hunter's electricity network. |
