Preston's homes and network
A 1920s suburb
Subdivisions were released in the 1880s, but the real growth came in the 1920s with the tram (1920) and rail electrification (1926). By 1930 most streets east and west were settled, and the Housing Commission built about 2,600 dwellings in east Preston and Reservoir between 1947 and 1966.
A network from the same era
Jemena says Preston's network has run since the 1920s at 6.6 kV, from substations whose equipment mostly dates from the 1960s. It's converting East Preston to 22 kV in stages, and in 2024 the old East Preston 'B' switch house still supplied 3,632 residential customers. Some poles carry up to three high voltage circuits.
Densifying fast
Jemena forecasts maximum demand in the areas supplied by its Preston and East Preston substations to grow 6.49% a year, driven by planning changes for higher-density living.
Lots of renters
At the 2021 Census, 40.1% of Preston's occupied homes were rented, 18.3% were flats or apartments and 24.9% were townhouses or similar.
Old wiring in a Preston house
A house from the 1920s has usually been rewired at least partly, but not always completely. It's common to find a newer board feeding a mix of cables from different decades, with old circuits still running lights or a back room. Signs worth acting on include warm switches or power points, flickering lights and a burning smell.
An electrician who rewires older homes can test the cables and tell you whether a partial rewire will do. Expect them to check the meter panel for asbestos first, since the Victorian Government's Asbestos Hub says homes built or renovated before 1990 likely contain it.
Planned outages while Jemena rebuilds
Converting a network from 6.6 kV to 22 kV means work on poles and lines street by street, so planned outages are part of it. Jemena publishes a planned outages list showing affected streets and times. For a fault or fallen line, call Jemena on 131 626.
What we'd do in Preston
If your house still has original or mixed wiring, we'd have it tested before renovating, not after the plasterer's been. And if Jemena's listed a planned outage for your street, we'd use that day to book any board work that needs the power off anyway.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.