Summer distribution network performance

Wind farm

 

The Commission has a regulatory focus on SA Power Networks to assess its reliability of supply performance. Whilst the Commission assesses some performance aspects against annual targets set out in the Distribution Code, events may occur during the year that warrant special reporting.

The Commission has monitored SA Power Networks’ summer network performance since 2006. This monitoring regime began as a result of unsatisfactory performance during a heatwave in January 2006, after which, an Inquiry was referred to the Commission by the Minister for Energy.

During the summer months, the electricity network is likely to be subject to maximum demand and maximum stress. Accordingly, the Commission closely monitors the actual performance of the network during summer, with particular focus on the performance of the network during heatwaves and severe weather events.

Comprehensive reports on SA Power Networks’ summer network performance were produced by the Commission from the summer periods of 2006-2007 to 2009-2010. Since then, the Commission resolved only to report on notable events such as heatwaves and storms that impact severely on the distribution network and customers.

The Commission’s reporting may assesses SA Power Networks’ performance having regard to matters such as the response to customer calls, resources deployed, operational practices and the impacts of external events (such as severe weather or third party actions or damage).

SA Power Networks' summer performance reports

During the summer months, the electricity network is likely to be subject to maximum demand and maximum stress. Accordingly, the Commission closely monitors the performance of the network during summer, with particular focus on the performance of the network during heatwaves and storm events.

The Commission has published a summary report containing statistics collected from SA Power Networks during the 2015-16 summer period. The Commission found that SA Power Networks’ distribution network coped well with demand during the 2015-16 summer. There was a 14 percent increase in the number of high voltage interruptions and a 17.5 percent reduction in the number of transformer failures compared to the previous summer. However, the number of interruptions and transformer failures reported was lower in comparison to the average since summer reporting began in 2006-07. Only one heatwave was recorded in the Adelaide metropolitan area during the summer period.

SAPN 2015-16 Summer network performance infographic