Environmentally Sensitive Area Program
Western Australia has some of the most diverse and rare ecosystems in the world. These present Western Power with numerous challenges in planning, developing and maintaining our facilities.
Western Power’s Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) management system was introduced in 1996 to identify and protect environmentally sensitive areas within the electricity network. The system enables Western Power to:
- Highlight ESA locations using an electronic mapping system
- Identify special considerations and precautions that must be observed when working in sensitive areas
- Erect signs to alert Western Power employees and contractors about ESAs
Western Power finds out about potential ESAs through a variety of sources including government agencies, members of the public, organic farmers and Western Power employees. These sites are assessed to determine if they should be managed as an ESA.
Western Power manages nearly 300 ESA sites. The following environmental issues are addressed using the ESA program:
- rare flora
- threatened ecological communities
- noxious weeds
- dieback
- rare fauna
- conservation reserves and conservation covenants
- organic farms
- people with multiple chemical sensitivities
