ElectraNet has released its plans to support South Australia’s transition to 100 per cent net renewable energy on an annual basis by 2027.
Our Network Transition Strategy provides a pathway and framework for working with customers and stakeholders to manage the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition.
The strategy supports our core objectives of safety, affordability, reliability and sustainability and covers three key themes:
- Energy reliability – developing a capable transmission network
- Power system security and resilience – maintaining a secure and resilient power system; and
- Operability – managing increasing system complexity and risk.
Chief Executive Officer, Simon Emms, said “We now average 75 per cent net variable renewable energy on an annual basis, which is world-leading for a power system of our size.
“There is more than 3,000 MW of large-scale wind and solar generation connected to the network and over the past six years, rooftop PV capacity has increased threefold to 2,200 MW.
“The major projects we have undertaken and the groundwork we have laid has positioned us well to meet the challenges of the transition to date.
“This includes more than 1,000 kilometres of new transmission lines over the last five years on projects like Project EnergyConnect, the new high voltage interconnector to New South Wales and Eyre Peninsula Link, and the installation of synchronous condensers.
“As we enter the next phase of the energy transformation, South Australia is now seeing a level of interest from new, large electricity loads not seen for a very long time.
“The Electricity demand outlook in South Australia is rapidly growing. Interest in new load connections currently exceeds 2,000 MW, driven by electrification and green reindustrialisation of the economy as loads seek access South Australia’s clean energy.”
Simon said that timely and efficient development of the transmission network is essential to connect new loads with renewable energy and storage and maintain reliability of supply at lowest cost to customers.
“Our immediate priorities include the Mid-North Expansion (North and South) which forms an essential part of the ‘network backbone’ to enable higher transfers of renewable energy to meet demand growth and ensure security of supply to Adelaide,” Simon said.
Other projects required include the South-East expansion and a further potential upgrade of the network on Eyre Peninsula.
Simon said ElectraNet is well aware of the cost-of-living pressures across the community and we remain focussed on operating the network as efficiently as possible while seeking to drive savings in overall energy costs for customers.
“Our analysis shows that the major transmission investment required to serve the expected increase in demand results in average unit cost falling due to costs being shared over a wider customer base,” he said.
“A range of further actions will be required to manage the energy transition including system services and emergency control schemes and uplift in systems and capabilities.
“We look forward to continuing to work with our customers and stakeholders to address the challenges and opportunities before us as we energise South Australia’s clean energy future.”
To view ElectraNet’s Network Transition Strategy click here.
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