ElectraNet
General information
ElectraNet is the monopoly service provider of electricity transmission services in South Australia. The electricity transmission network in South Australia extends across approximately 200,000 square kilometres, and includes 88 high voltage substations and 5,600 route kilometres of transmission lines. As a monopoly service provider, ElectraNet is subject to economic regulation in respect of the revenue it is permitted to earn from South Australian consumers. The Australian Energy Regulator is responsible for administering that regulatory regime under the National Electricity Rules.
The Commission has issued to ElectraNet an electricity transmission licence, which authorises it to operate the majority of the transmission network in South Australia. As a licence condition, ElectraNet must comply with the requirements of the Electricity Transmission Code.
The Code forms a part of the broader regulatory framework that applies to electricity transmission services in the National Electricity Market. The National Electricity Rules establish technical standards (dealing with matters such as network frequency, system stability, voltage quality and fault clearance), with the Commission’s role confined to the development and monitoring of jurisdictional service standards, complementing the National Electricity Rules’ technical standards.
Under the Code, ElectraNet must comply with obligations relating to the quality, safety and reliability of electricity transmission services (including minimising supply interruptions and informing customers about planned outages).
It must also use best endeavours to plan, develop and operate the electricity transmission network to meet the standards imposed by the National Electricity Rules in relation to the quality of transmission services and the transmission network.
The Commission monitors and reports on ElectraNet’s compliance with regulatory requirements and takes enforcement action in instances of non-compliance, if necessary.
Performance outcomes
The Commission publishes annually statistics and summary insights on ElectraNet’s operational performance outcomes including network service and reliability performance compared with historical performance, utilising data provided by ElectraNet.
Network reliability in 2022-23
In 2022-23, ElectraNet reported one event in relation to the reliability standards where it took longer than the specified maximum timeframe of two days to restore the line capacity for two Category 1 exit points - Mt Gunsen and Woomera.
On Tuesday 20 December 2022 at 1729, the Davenport – Pimba 132kV line tripped due to the failure of three towers during “severe weather”. Approximately 2MW of load at Mt Gunson and Woomera was lost for 2.71 days while reconfiguration of the network was undertaken to provide supply.
On Thursday morning, 22 December 2022, ElectraNet contacted the Commission to notify it of the supply interruption, the connection points affected, and the emergency restoration plan that was in progress. ElectraNet also noted in its 2022-23 Operational Performance Report that severe weather prevented access to restore failed structures and that a temporary line feed had to be established via a nearby substation (Mt Gunson Sth).
The Commission have assessed the available information and concluded there was no evidence to suggest ElectraNet did not use its best endeavours to restore the capacity within the required two days.
Also in 2022-23, ElectraNet reported 17 power system incidents attributed to ElectraNet and four power system incidents attributed to third parties resulting in eight supply interruptions and 2.04 System Minutes Off Supply (SMOS).
Historical Performance Outcomes
Infographics
Compliance reviews
While the Commission assesses energy entities performance against annual service standards and reliability standards each year, events may occur during the year that warrant special ad hoc reporting – referred to as Significant Performance Events.
The Commission considers the following criteria in determining whether a Significant Performance Event has occurred:
- a significant number of customers are affected for a lengthy duration, or there is reason to believe that a significant number of customers may have been affected for a lengthy duration.the event is likely to seriously impact on the licensed entity’s ability to meet one of more of its annual service standard(s) or reliability target(s).
- the Commission needs to undertake a review to be confident that the licensed entity has complied with its obligations under the relevant industry Code(s).
- there is strong stakeholder interest, or there is anticipated to be strong stakeholder interest.
The criteria recognise that a balance needs to be struck between reporting on every event and the resources it entails, and meeting stakeholder expectations on the provision of information in such situations.
The Commission has published the following significant event report, in respect of the performance of ElectraNet.