100% renewable electricity powers critical health services at Latrobe Regional Health

Latrobe Regional Health is powered by 100% renewable electricity after joining SEC as a customer.

As the largest hospital in Gippsland, Latrobe Regional Health serves over 290,000 residents from a catchment spanning from West Gippsland to Mallacoota.

It provides a comprehensive range of services, including cardiac care, surgery, medical care, renal care, emergency care, aged care, women’s and children’s services, pharmacy, mental health services, allied health, and rehabilitation.

It also has the largest solar system on a hospital in Victoria, with the 1.4-megawatt system – nearly 3,700 PV panels – generating 1.5 million kilowatt hours of renewable electricity each year, enough to power 250 homes. The site has recently expanded this even further with an additional 400kW system.

While the solar system has significantly reduced its reliance on the electricity grid, the hospital still buys around 11 megawatts of electricity a year.

SEC began retailing to the hospital on 1 July under the HealthShare Victoria contract, supporting the Victorian Government’s commitment to using 100% renewable electricity across its operations in 2025.

SEC General Manager Customer, Suzanne Retschko, said SEC was delighted to be supporting essential health services to achieve their sustainability goals.

“Hospitals like Latrobe Regional Health play a critical role in the health and wellbeing of our communities, and we’re proud to supply 100% renewable electricity to power their operations,” Ms Retschko said.

Latrobe Regional Health Chief Executive, Don McRae said the switch to SEC’s renewable electricity will complement the hospital’s solar generation and help it meet its sustainability goals.

“The hospital uses more than 12 megawatts of electricity a year, powering everything from X-rays to surgical lights to critical care technology, as well as general lighting in a 24-hour, seven-day-week operation,” Mr McRae said.

“It powers vital signs monitors at the bedside in the wards, equipment for seriously ill patients in the intensive care unit, cots for vulnerable babies in our Special Care Nursery, IT systems which monitor patient care, manage treatment and medication, advanced surgical equipment and technology, our cardiac catheterisation lab where cardiovascular procedures are performed, radiotherapy for our cancer patients and dialysis for our kidney patients.”

It also powers catering and cleaning.

The hospital continues to improve its sustainability in areas such as waste management and water.

Eight water tanks supply water for toilets, and a recent hospital expansion includes a new ‘enviro hub’ that supports more efficient management of paper, general and clinical waste.

SEC is retailing renewable electricity to over 4,000 Victorian Government sites, supplying hundreds of public schools and hospitals across the state, Victoria Police, Fire Rescue Victoria, water companies and government departments - institutions that make up the fabric of our state.

Learn more about SEC’s commitment to renewable generation here.