Ensuring secure supply for the Eyre Peninsula

ElectraNet’s final report has suggested recommendations of electricity supply options to ensure the Eyre Peninsula has a safe, reliable and secure electricity supply into the future.

The recommended option involves the construction of a new double-circuit 132kV transmission line from Cultana to Port Lincoln, via Yadnarie by the end of 2021, with the ability to upgrade the Cultana to Yadnarie section to 275kV at a later date.

The option will have a negligible cost impact on customer bills that is estimated to be around ten cents per annum.

ElectraNet Chief Executive, Steve Masters, said the final option meets the immediate supply needs of the Eyre Peninsula and will future proof the network to cater for increased capacity for new mining developments and renewable energy projects.

“The key driver for this project is to deliver a solution that provides the greatest benefits to the community while keeping costs as low as possible for electricity customers,” Mr Masters said.

“Our proposed new transmission line from Cultana to Port Lincoln will increase power reliability to Eyre Peninsula homes and businesses, remove network constraints, allow for new renewable energy developments and enables us to more cost effectively expand the network in the future.”

The recommended option is outlined in ElectraNet’s Project Assessment Conclusions Report (PACR), which has been published as the final step in the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T).

Public consultation has played an important role in arriving at a final preferred option.

“We have received a considerable amount of valuable input from stakeholders during the project’s public consultation and I’d like to thank all involved for their contributions,” Mr Masters said.

“In November 2017, ElectraNet released its Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR) which identified the construction of a new double-circuit 275kV power line between Cultana and Yadnarie, and a new 132kV double-circuit power line between Yadnarie and Port Lincoln.

“Based on new information and additional work we have arrived at a new preferred option – the new double-circuit 132kV transmission line from Cultana to Port Lincoln, via Yadnarie, with the ability to upgrade the Cultana to Yadnarie section to 275kV when needed.

“Not only does this deliver the greatest benefits to the community, it also has lower upfront costs than the option we released in November.”

If approved by the regulator, the project is expected to cost approximately $240 million and be completed by the end of 2021. Expenditure of $80 million to reconduct the existing line has already been approved by the regulator as part of ElectraNet’s current revenue determination.