TransGrid has published its Transmission Annual Planning Report (TAPR) 2019.
Australia’s energy system is transitioning. Its development is being shaped by consumer demand, new technologies and global capital markets which favour investment in renewables. Transmission is central to the new energy system, linking new generation to demand centres, maintaining system security and delivering lowest possible energy costs.
The National Electricity Market is transforming at a rapid rate and moving toward a system that requires the integration of more variable and distributed energy resources, driven by lower cost renewable generation, significant reductions in technology costs, changing consumer preferences, and the progressive retirement of coal-fired power stations over the next two decades. Transmission networks help firm intermittent renewables in a cost-effective manner, by using the high voltage network and interconnection, supporting the flow of energy between regions and take advantage of diverse weather patterns.
TransGrid is developing techniques and technologies to ensure network resilience and performance, as renewable connections increase. In the past three years, they have facilitated the connection of over 1,000 MW of renewable generation to the network, and have managed the integration of higher levels of intermittent generation without destabilising the grid.
The TAPR 2019 provides an assessment of the capability and limitations of the New South Wales’ transmission network over the next 10 years. The report outlines the outcomes of our planning review, and provides advance information to our stakeholders and market participants on the nature and location of emerging network constraints.
The document is available at https://www.transgrid.com.au/what-we-do/Business-Planning/transmission-annual-planning/Pages/default.aspx . TransGrid welcomes feedback and enquiries via the contact details in TAPR 2019.