Power-hungry facilities set to undergo energy-saving upgrades starting in 2026

Maitland City Council has been awarded over $960,000 in funding from the Australian Government’s Community Energy Upgrades Fund to implement electrification upgrades at the Maitland Aquatic Centre and Maitland Regional Art Gallery. 

With the rest of the project’s $1.9 million cost coming from Maitland Council, the funding will allow for Maitland to take the first step towards the full electrification of two of its most energy-intensive facilities. 

The gas boilers used to heat Maitland Aquatic Centre’s 25m indoor pool will be replaced with a 250kW heat pump and a 100kw heat pump will replace an existing gas boiler at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, while rooftop and carpark solar and battery energy storage units are proposed to better manage electricity demand. 

Maitland City Council General Manager Jeff Smith said this first suite of electrification upgrades were expected to “produce an energy cost saving of nearly $110,000 every year.” 

“There’s a dual benefit to moving forward with these planned upgrades,” Mr Smith said. “Not only are they a prudent sustainability initiative, but an economical one too, helping Maitland Council to be environmentally and financially sustainable into the future.” 

“These upgrades will help future-proof our community assets by switching them to cleaner, more efficient technology, including solar and battery storage,” Member for Paterson, Meryl Swanson MP said. “It’s a smart investment that brings down costs and strengthens our local resilience. 

“Maitland is a fast-growing, proud regional city, and I’m delighted the Albanese Government is backing these upgrades, so our community continues to thrive.” 

Work is expected to commence in April 2026 and be completed towards the end of 2027.  

Mr Smith said the upgrades would see Maitland Council realise further emissions savings - more than 330 tonnes of CO₂ each year – after already hitting its target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2030 following the implementation of a new renewable energy contract for its facilities and streetlights earlier this year, which is already generating financial savings.   

For more information on how Maitland Council is shaping a more sustainable Maitland, visit mait.city/ESS.