Model planes go mainstream: add a video camera and find powerline breaks, survey wildlife, manage crops

Unmanned aircraft developed for military uses were being considered for civilian government applications, including pinpointing remote area powerline breaks, surveying fish and wildlife, monitoring stock movements, managing crops and fighting bushfires, wrote Christopher Jay in The Australian Financial Review (28/9/2007, p.71).

Three back up generators deployed to Denmark and Walpole to cope with new load from Western Australia nickel plant at Ravensthorpe, from June 2007: $14 million spent over 5 years

Fran Logan, Western Australia Minister for Energy, and ALP Member for Cockburn told Parliament on 14 August 2007 that three generators were deployed to Ravensthorpe to provide support to the local electricity network from June 2007.

Energy Minister offers Queensland blackout free summers: Energex big brother plan to control robot aircon; and gen contracts ready for demand-spikes

Energy Minister Geoff Wilson claims Queensland will survive the summer without a drought-inspired blackout or load shedding. Wilson said a taskforce and a separate independent review had found electricity supply would be secure this summer. “The advice from the taskforce is there will be secure supplies for this summer,’ reported The Courier Mail, 21/9/2007, p. 11.

Bring on the summer storms: Minister flexes muscle of over 2,000 Energex emergency workers; 1,600 trucks; new Ergon control centres

Queensland Minister for Mines and Energy G. J. Wilson speaking on 5 September 20007 gave the Queensland Legislative Assembly details of contingency plans to deal with any power outages during the coming storm season.

Nightmare for Qld Ergon customers: $60,000 access fees, at $500 per metre for underground cable to new homes

The cost of accessing electricity from the state power grid – something that most Queenslanders took for granted – was an issue that had been raising its head more and more often in her electorate, said Tablelands MLA Lee Long in the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 5 September 2007.