WA is pushing for local production of poles and wires needed for the state’s renewable energy rollout.
Western Australia’s 2025–26 State Budget has earmarked $20 million for new transmission infrastructure manufacturing capacity.
The funding includes $10 million to begin development of an advanced manufacturing facility in Forrestfield, which will fabricate steel components for transmission infrastructure. The facility will supply Western Power’s growing demand for transmission lines, driven by grid upgrades supporting renewable energy integration.
The initiative forms part of the Cook Government’s “Made in WA” strategy to onshore critical supply chains.
The Forrestfield facility will be developed in partnership with established steel fabricators, with product scope and supply roles to be shared with a second planned facility in Picton.
Western Power is slated as a foundational customer for both sites, ensuring a reliable local demand stream.
Planning for the Picton site – framed as an Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub (AMTECH) – will be backed by a separate $5 million allocation from the Strategic Industries Fund.
The government’s focus on local content is further underscored by an additional $10 million injection into a Local Industry Development Fund. This fund will help establish a cross-agency coordination group to promote a whole-of-government approach to procurement, aiming to maximise locally produced components in Western Power projects.
“This facility is a cornerstone of my government’s commitment to a future Made in WA,” said Premier Roger Cook.
“By ensuring we have the facilities to deliver the poles and wires needed for Western Australia’s energy transition, we are creating opportunities for local industry to scale up and provide steel components to the energy transition that would otherwise be sourced from overseas.”
The twin hubs are designed to address Western Power’s growing infrastructure pipeline and provide a durable, regionally dispersed manufacturing base.
The government says the initiative will support economic diversification and reduce reliance on imported materials, while creating skilled fabrication and engineering jobs in Forrestfield and Bunbury.