Power transmission upgrades proposed in South Australia

South Australian (SA) power transmission group ElectraNet has proposed A$2.35bn ($1.55bn) in network upgrades as it seeks to meet power demand for new and existing customers.

The group's transmission annual planning report update released on 31 May pointed to demand forecasts as proof of the need for further investment. ElectraNet said the company was experiencing an unprecedented level of enquiries from renewable energy generators, grid-scale battery providers and customers, totalling 2,000MW in new transmission, dwarfing the state's present maximum electricity demand level of 3,300MW.

"Electrification of the state's economy, new large industrial loads and the hydrogen sector are the key drivers of these high demand growth forecasts," said ElectraNet chief executive Simon Emms.

The company has developed priorities for new transmission in the state's mid-north, southeast and Eyre Peninsula districts to increase capacity and connect with projects in the state's renewable energy zones. The plans contain several options for each region, with a total price tag of up to A$2.35bn across a construction period stretching from the mid-2020s to the early 2030s.

ElectraNet and its New South Wales' counterpart TransGrid are currently building the 860km EnergyConnect interconnector to replace SA's gas-fired power stations. SA is already a national leader in renewable developments, with a target of 100pc renewable electricity production by 2030.

By Tom Major