WA Farmers Grapple with Power Outages and Maintenance Issues on Standalone Systems

Farmers in rural Western Australia say they have had to grapple with power outages and frequent maintenance issues after being moved off the grid and on to standalone power systems by Western Power.

A standalone power system which typically consists of solar panels, a battery and a back-up diesel generator was installed on Ben Parsons's farm in Tenterden, about 340 kilometres south of Perth, in 2022.

"We probably used to get three or four power outages a year and we thought it's going to be great, we'll have power all year round," Mr Parsons said.

He has asked Western Power to switch him back on to the main grid, but the utility rejected his request.

"We've had kids in the bath, and the power's dropped out, 7 o'clock at night middle of winter pitch black, you've got kids screaming in the bathroom," he said.

"It sounds like the generator is right outside the kids' bedroom. My seven-year-old said to me the other day, 'Oh Dad what's that noise I can't get to sleep' … and it was the generator running."

Western Power had pitched the systems as a greener and more reliable alternative to the grid that would also help cut costs by reducing the utility's reliance on aging poles and wires.

No community consultation

A total of 498 standalone units have been installed in regional WA, with 100 in the Shire of Cranbrook alone.

The shire's chief executive Linda Gray said there had been a lack of community consultation.

"We had a phone call from an 85-year-old lady located at the northern end of the shire and she had had people arrive on her property to tell her that her power was being cut off and she was going to have a standalone power system," she said.

Residents on the standalone power systems still pay per unit for electricity, the same as consumers on the main grid.

Ms Gray said that under WA legislation Western Power was not required to get consent from the landowner for the change.

"They told me that if you lock your gates so they can't go onto the property that they can get a warrant," she said.

Initial pilot

Many residents who received standalone systems during the initial roll-out say they have been nothing but problematic, with Western Power taking years to fix them.

Owen Grahame, who lives in South Newdegate, got a standalone system installed 10 years ago and started experiencing problems about five years ago.

He has had to run the generator almost constantly due to ongoing problems with the system, including broken solar panels.

Western Power only recently contacted him about replacing the system.

"It starts up even in full sun every few days; something is clearly not right with it," Mr Grahame said.

For farmers like Bernie Giles in Northern Ravensthorpe, the system has had issues from the start.

"It's always had the same problem ever since its original installation and that is it produces its own heat and it doesn't get rid of it," he said.

"There was a circuit there for the air conditioner, but it was actually taken out because they were trying to raise the efficiency because it was one of the first models that were put out."

Mr Giles has also now been promised an upgraded system.

A Western Power spokesperson said the utility was working closely with customers to ensure these systems were fit for purpose.

"We recognise that some initial units required remediation and upgrades as we've learnt more about individual customer needs," the spokesperson said.

"The standalone power program is delivering strong outcomes for customers, with 96 per cent of users experiencing better reliability since installation."