A spokesperson for the station said following the completion of construction in about two weeks, the substation and its equipment will undergo a rigorous and detailed testing program before official commissioning in March.

One of the biggest electricity projects in Townsville in the past decade, the new substation will provide sufficient capacity to meet forecast growth in electricity for the Kirwan area in coming years.

Meanwhile, in Tasmania, that state's dry spell has not resulted in increased electricity demand from the Bell Bay power station. However, generation would be ramped up if rainfall did not increase by March, according to the power station manager, Peter Rayner.

One of Bell Bay's two turbines was converted from oil to natural gas last year when the $400 million Bass Strait pipeline came on line. The other one is oil fired and capable of generating 240 megawatts.

Bell Bay Power is a wholly-subsidiary of Hydro Tasmania and operated by Duke Energy International.