TransGrid
Encyclopedia
TransGrid is the owner and operator of the high voltage electricity transmission network in the Australia
n state of New South Wales
. It is a state owned corporation, owned by the Government of New South Wales
and was established after the break-up of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales
into power generation and distribution units in preparation for the national electricity market. Essentially, TransGrid connects generators of electricity to retail distributors, and allows for the national trading of electricity. It forms the backbone of Australia's electricity network. It is part of the portfolio of the Minister for Energy. Its two shareholders are the NSW Treasurer and Finance Minister. TransGrid is the registered business name of the Electricity Transmission Authority.
to Victoria
, then inland to Broken Hill
, making it the backbone of the Australia's National Electricity Market
(NEM). It connects major generation sources in NSW's Central Coast, the Hunter Valley, Lithgow
area and Snowy Mountains
, and is interconnected with the Victorian and Queensland networks. TransGrid's network also connects to 4 distribution businesses (Endeavour Energy
, Ausgrid
, ActewAGL
, and Essential Energy
) and 3 directly connected industrial customers (coal mines, aluminium smelters, rail transport).
TransGrid operates 12492 circuit km of transmission lines and cables, with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 330 kV, 220 kV, 132 kV and 66 kV. Further, it operates and maintains 91 substations which include 175 transformers providing 45,587 MVA of installed capacity throughout New South Wales.
The New South Wales transmission network facilitates inter-state electricity trading and plays a central in the NEM as a result of both its geographic location and the flexible generation plants located in New South Wales. At times of high demand,
Queensland and Victoria can rely on imports from New South Wales, and export power to New South Wales at other times.
TransGrid participates in the Australian Energy Regulator's
(AER) Revenue Cap Process, where a series of submissions between the Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSP), the AER and other interested parties are used to set the Maximum Allowable Revenue (MAR) for the TNSP for a five year period.
TransGrid will set its new MAR shortly for the 2009 - 2014 period. As much of the reveune is set by automatic factors (prevailing interest rates and consumer price index rates, by example) TransGrid will be expected to see a reduction in its revenue due to the lower interest rates caused by the global economic slowdown. Approximately 60% of TransGrid's revenues are linked to interest rates ensuring the record profit set in 2007 - 2008 of A$200 million will probably stand for some time to come.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It is a state owned corporation, owned by the Government of New South Wales
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
and was established after the break-up of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales
Electricity Commission of New South Wales
The Electricity Commission of New South Wales, sometimes called Elcom, was a statutory body responsible for the generation of electricity and its bulk transmission throughout New South Wales, Australia...
into power generation and distribution units in preparation for the national electricity market. Essentially, TransGrid connects generators of electricity to retail distributors, and allows for the national trading of electricity. It forms the backbone of Australia's electricity network. It is part of the portfolio of the Minister for Energy. Its two shareholders are the NSW Treasurer and Finance Minister. TransGrid is the registered business name of the Electricity Transmission Authority.
Network
TransGrid's network stretches along the east coast of Australia from QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, then inland to Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
, making it the backbone of the Australia's National Electricity Market
National Electricity Market
The National Electricity Market is the name of the Australian wholesale electricity market and the associated synchronous electricity transmission grid....
(NEM). It connects major generation sources in NSW's Central Coast, the Hunter Valley, Lithgow
Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
area and Snowy Mountains
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", are the highest Australian mountain range and contain the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2,228 metres AHD, approximately 7310 feet....
, and is interconnected with the Victorian and Queensland networks. TransGrid's network also connects to 4 distribution businesses (Endeavour Energy
Endeavour Energy
Endeavour Energy is a state owned electricity infrastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks for western Sydney and the Illawarra region of NSW, Australia....
, Ausgrid
Ausgrid
Ausgrid is a state owned electricity infastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks to 1.6 million customers in Sydney, Central Coast, Hunter Valley and Newcastle areas of New South Wales....
, ActewAGL
ActewAGL
ActewAGL is Australia's first multi-utility to offer electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services in a single organisation. At the time of its formation it was the only multi-utility of its kind in Australia....
, and Essential Energy
Essential Energy
Essential Energy is a state-owned electricity infrastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks for regional New South Wales, covering 95 percent of the state, and the reticulated water network in Broken Hill, New South Wales through Essential Water.It...
) and 3 directly connected industrial customers (coal mines, aluminium smelters, rail transport).
TransGrid operates 12492 circuit km of transmission lines and cables, with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 330 kV, 220 kV, 132 kV and 66 kV. Further, it operates and maintains 91 substations which include 175 transformers providing 45,587 MVA of installed capacity throughout New South Wales.
The New South Wales transmission network facilitates inter-state electricity trading and plays a central in the NEM as a result of both its geographic location and the flexible generation plants located in New South Wales. At times of high demand,
Queensland and Victoria can rely on imports from New South Wales, and export power to New South Wales at other times.
TransGrid participates in the Australian Energy Regulator's
Australian Energy Regulator
The Australian Energy Regulator is the regulator of the wholesale electricity and gas markets in Australia. It is part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and enforces the rules established by the Australian Energy Market Commission....
(AER) Revenue Cap Process, where a series of submissions between the Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSP), the AER and other interested parties are used to set the Maximum Allowable Revenue (MAR) for the TNSP for a five year period.
TransGrid will set its new MAR shortly for the 2009 - 2014 period. As much of the reveune is set by automatic factors (prevailing interest rates and consumer price index rates, by example) TransGrid will be expected to see a reduction in its revenue due to the lower interest rates caused by the global economic slowdown. Approximately 60% of TransGrid's revenues are linked to interest rates ensuring the record profit set in 2007 - 2008 of A$200 million will probably stand for some time to come.
External links
- ICAC quizzes suppliers over NSW tenders, Aug 24, 2010