Energy Minister Francis Logan today launched the construction of a new $4.3 million powerline to reinforce electricity supplies between Geraldton and Dongara.
Mr Logan said he was confident the new powerline would deliver a more reliable and improved power supply to more than 2000 properties in the area.
"The Carpenter Government is committed to improving power supplies to rural areas of the interconnected network," he said.
"Providing reliable power services to rural and remote areas is a challenge, but it is one that I am committed to achieving.
"A key component of this commitment is the Rural Power Improvement Program, through which the new powerline is being constructed.
"This $60 million, five-year program specifically targets the poorest reliability areas of the distribution system with targeted measures to improve reliability.
"These poor reliability areas are often in isolated rural locations, making the cost of improving reliability expensive in terms of the numbers of customers involved.
"In recognition of this, the State Government directly funds half the cost of the program, which allows Western Power to prioritise funding to improve reliability in these areas."
Western Power managing director Doug Aberle said Western Power would construct the 55km three-phase distribution line between Geraldton and Dongara.
"We expect to see an immediate improvement to power supplies when the line is energised, which is expected to be around July this year," Mr Aberle said.
"This is only one of many projects Western Power is working on in Geraldton.
"To meet the electricity growth in the town, we are constructing a new substation at Rangeway and expect to have the transmission line to interconnect it with the existing substation at Geraldton finished by the end of this month."