What are we doing?
We’re upgrading the Benalla Zone Substation at the corner of Baddaginnie-Benalla Road and Midland Highway in Benalla.
Some of the equipment at the substation is reaching the end of its service.
We’re currently working to replace these assets to extend their lifespan for another 50 years, so we can continue to supply power to households and businesses in the Benalla and Mansfield regions.
Works at the substation are expected to be complete in March 2026.
Upcoming power outage
Outage date: Sunday 4 May from 8am and 6pm
One of the 66kV powerlines that operates out of the Benalla Zone Substation supplies power to over 12,500 customers in Benalla Rural Council and Mansfield Shire.
When we switch over from the old assets to the new assets, we need to turn the power off to safely complete these works. For tips on how to prepare for an outage, see Prepare for an electrical outage.
Areas expected to be without power are:
Why is this outage scheduled on the weekend?
We spoke to customers, including industrial and commercial businesses, and agreed to schedule these works on a weekend to minimise impact to their operations as much as possible. The weekend also avoids disruption to schools and tourism in the alpine region.
What else can I expect during this outage?
During this outage, we'll also be doing some maintenance works on power poles and powerlines in the area to reduce the need for future outages. We'll be replacing:
- 62 fuses
- 50 insulators
- 36 armour rods to reduce wear and tear
- 1 pole
This would usually be done in multiple outages but the longer outage window means we can complete these works in one day to minimise disruptions before the snow season. We'll also have around 20 crews with extra workers coming in from across Victoria for the big day. We'll be able to share the full details of what these maintenance works include by late April 2025.
Why are zone substations important?
Zone substations play a critical role in the electricity network. They receive high-voltage electricity from the transmission network and reduce it down to lower voltage electricity, so it can be used in homes and businesses.