Transgrid has identified reactive margin shortfall (and voltage) issues in the Beryl area of Central New South Wales. These issues arise from current and projected demand in the downstream Essential Energy distribution network.
Transgrid is applying the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) to options for complying with reactive margin requirements at Beryl. This may involve new infrastructure to address demand in the area.
Transgrid is required to demonstrate that the preferred option for complying with reactive margin requirements at Beryl will deliver the greatest net benefits to energy consumers. The net benefits delivered by the project are assessed using the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) administered by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
The RIT-T assesses network and non-network solution options from a technical and economic perspective by:
In November 2024, we published a Project Specification Consultation Report (PSCR), the first stage of the RIT-T. The PSCR details the identified need to comply with reactive margin requirements at Beryl.
In the PSCR we considered non-network solutions that can provide dynamic and static reactive support may be able to assist with meeting the identified need. We received Expression of Interest (EOI) responses from two parties regarding non-network solutions. Both parties requested confidentiality and consequently we have not published their responses on our website.
In February 2026, we published the Project Assessment Draft Report that provides the planning consideration investment options to comply with reactive margin requirements at Beryl.
A key purpose of this PADR and the RIT-T more broadly is to provide interested stakeholders the opportunity to review the analysis and assumptions, provide inputs to the process, and have certainty and confidence that the preferred option has been robustly defined as optimal.
The PADR includes a full quantitative analysis of the proposed options.
We welcome written submissions on materials contained in this PADR, Submissions are due on 1 April 2026 and should be emailed to regulatory.consultations@transgrid.com.au. In the subject field, please reference ‘Complying with reactive margin requirements at Beryl PADR’.
At the conclusion of the six-week consultation process following publication of the PADR, all non-confidential submissions received will be published on our website. Subject to what is proposed in submissions to this PADR, we anticipate publication of our final RIT-T document, the Project Assessment Conclusions Report (PACR) by October 2026.