TransGrid Publishes Application Notice: Supply to Port Macquarie (27 July 2007)

The Port Macquarie area includes the majority of the Port Macquarie ? Hastings local government area. It has a population of around 70,000. The area electrical load is characterised primarily by urban residential loads and commercial/light industrial loads in the main population centres and rural loads in surrounding areas.

TransGrid is proposing the construction of a new large transmission network asset to increase the capacity of the 132 kV network supplying the area to meet the reliability standard agreed with Country Energy. In accordance with clause 5.6.6(c) of the National Electricity Rules an application notice has been prepared that applies the AER?s regulatory test to a range of reasonable options to meet this requirement.

The preferred actions are that TransGrid construct a double circuit 132 kV line between Kempsey and Port Macquarie to replace the existing single circuit 132 kV line. These works are estimated to cost $ 28 Million and could be completed by summer 2010/11.

TransGrid invites submissions on the application notice from interested parties. The closing date for submissions is Friday 7th September 2007.

A copy of the application notice can be downloaded from the Current Consultations page.