Project Assessment Conclusions Report
Regulatory Investment Test – Transmission
AusNet Services and United Energy are regulated Victorian Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) that supply electrical distribution services to more than 745,000 and 685,000 customers, respectively. AusNet Services’ electricity distribution network covers eastern rural Victoria and the fringe of the northern and eastern Melbourne metropolitan area, while United Energy’s electricity distribution network covers the east and south east Melbourne suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula.
In Victoria, the DNSPs have responsibility for planning and directing augmentation of the transmission connection assets that connect their distribution systems to the Victorian Shared Transmission System. This project relates to the transmission connection assets at Cranbourne Terminal Station (CBTS) and as such is subject to a regulatory investment test for transmission (RIT-T).
AusNet Services and United Energy are undertaking this Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) to evaluate options to maintain supply reliability in the Cranbourne area.
The Project Specification Consultation Report (PSCR), which represents the first step in the RIT-T process was published in June 2020 and the succeeding Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR) was published in June 2022. Publication of this Project Assessment Conclusions Report (PACR) represents the third and final step in the RIT-T process in accordance with clause 5.16 of the National Electricity Rules (NER) and section 4.2 of the RIT-T Application Guidelines.
The non-network proposals for this RIT-T have been made in confidence and AusNet Services is thus not allowed to publish any part of the non-network proposal.
AusNet Services and United Energy conclude that installation of a 4th 150MVA 220/66kV transformer is the most economic option to address the identified need as it provides the highest present value of net economic benefits for all scenarios and sensitivities investigated with an optimal timing of 2025/26.