South Australia’s energy transformation is accelerating and bringing new opportunities to our state. It is also presenting us with challenges to the evolving network as South Australia’s power system increases in complexity and age. Engagement with customers and stakeholders will be critical for ElectraNet to optimally develop the network in the best interests of consumers, while reaching renewable targets together.
As South Australia’s high voltage transmission provider, the scale of growth that ElectraNet is seeing is massive. Due to our unique topography and climate, and onset of transforming industries such as battery storage and hydrogen, our state is a prime location for continued investment in a range of further renewable generation methods.
ElectraNet’s Manager Network Planning, Brad Harrison, said, “The Australian Energy Market Operator’s forecast for the next 30 years shows a necessary increase of 18GW in renewable generation to support a step-change scenario, what it considers the most likely scenario to meet future supply needs.”
“Batteries and other forms of storage, alongside pumped hydro, compressed air, solar and thermal, are all showing promising signs of accelerating in our state to make this scenario a reality.”
“In our recent Transmission Annual Planning Report Update (TAPR), ElectraNet identified four key project options and a number of renewable zones based on critical strategic and economic factors. It is ElectraNet’s role to optimally develop the transmission network in collaboration with customers to best enable the connection of renewable energy in the identified zones.”
Click here or the image below to view these options and zones in our recent TAPR Update.
Brad said, “We will be releasing our yearly TAPR next month. Input from generation and load customers will be essential to support ElectraNet’s decision making process.”
“Early engagement with customers will help us to understand how and where the network will need to evolve. As such, all of our customers have an opportunity to get involved in decision making and bring a collective voice to the regulator, AEMO, and Government that will shape the network for decades to come.”
“We are also drafting a System Strength Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) to respond to the challenges associated with operating a clean energy grid. Please keep an eye out for that publication as well in a few weeks.”
“By having your say, we can make informed decisions on how we develop the network and best coordinate the generation of renewable energy and connection of larger loads,” Brad said.
Click here to contact Brad Harrison, Manager Network Planning.
Click here to contact Chris Hanna, Senior Advisor Government and Stakeholder Relations.
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