Wind Generation Connection at Country Energy

Chris Dalitz – Senior Consulting Engineer

Network Support – Engineering Services Division
Dubbo

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 1
 What this Presentation will cover…..
• An introduction to Country Energy
• Small, Medium and Large Scale
Wind Generation
• The basic connection process…..
• What do I need for a successful wind
generation project ?
• Some comments on the Armidale
precinct, and related issues.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 2
 Australia’s largest regional utility
• More than 800,000 retail electricity customers
• 25,000 gas network customers in southern NSW
• 10,000 water and sewerage customers in Far West
• Around 4,500 employees in 146 customer and field service centres,
eight regional offices and four business centres
• A decentralised regional management structure responsive to local
priorities and achieving consistently strong customer satisfaction
levels

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 3
 Australia’s largest electricity network
• Network area serves 95 per cent of New
South Wales
• Around 200,000 kilometres of powerlines,
1.4 million poles
• Extremes of terrain and climate – from
subtropics to alps and plains
• Investing almost $4 billion between 2009–
2014 to further strengthen and grow the
network
Eight locally managed
• Development of a responsive digital network regions, close to
Intelligent Network to improve reliability,
support the growth of renewable energy customers and their
and make energy efficiency simpler for communities
customers
COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 4
 Small, Medium and Large scale Wind
• Small Scale Wind – 10kW and less
− Covered by the NSW Solar Bonus
Scheme and FIT
− Low voltage inverter connected
• Medium Scale Wind – 10kW to 2MW
− eg Hampton, Arkell (UTS)
• Large Scale Wind – Multiple large
Turbines of 2-3 MW each for a total
10MW to 200MW windfarm.
− eg Capital Wind Farm
COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 5
 Small Scale Wind – 10kW and less
• These are eligible for the NSW Solar
Bonus Scheme with its 60c/kWh feed in
Tariff (20c/kWh from 18th Nov.)
• Inverter connected at Low Voltage (just
like Solar PV)
• Same ‘routine’ process as Solar PV and
same application forms, all available on
the Country Energy website.
• A contact person at Country Energy is
Chris Simon if you have questions.
COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 6
 Medium Generation - Single Point of Contact
• All enquiries for connection of an embedded generator to the Country
Energy Distribution network (LV, 11kV or 22kV) are directed to the
Senior Consulting Engineer at Dubbo.
• These enquiries are generally in the range of 100kW to several MW
of generation.
• Proponents are encouraged to engage a suitable electrical consultant
early in their project to assist them.
• Initial modelling is done using a simple spreadsheet to evaluate
capacity of the existing network to absorb generation.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 7
 Sample Output from EMGEN

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 8
 Flowchart – Medium Projects
•Proponents are provided with the Flowchart
at right to explain the connection process.
•The flowchart captures the ‘contestable’
nature of connection works that operates
under the NSW Regulatory framework.
•A customer specific Network Connection
Agreement is ultimately signed by both the
Customer and Network Operator.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 9
 Large Scale Wind Projects – 10 MW to 200MW
•These windfarms require connection to Country Energy’s Sub-transmission
network ie 66,000 Volt or 132,000 Volt lines or substations, or alternatively the
TransGrid network.
•To date in Australia, wind prospects close to existing power lines have been
developed first to minimise grid connection costs.
•At Country Energy, enquiries are handled by Mr Col Hackney & Mr Neville
Cooper.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 10
 The basic connection process….……
• A preliminary enquiry (by proponent) leads to:
• A preliminary response (Country Energy) which leads to:
• A network connection application (proponent & consultant) which
includes detailed network analysis and leads to:
• Check analysis by Country Energy, TransGrid/AEMO as reqd.) leads
to:
• An offer to connect (involving proponent, Country Energy, legal etc)
leads to :
• A Network Connection Agreement being signed which then allows:
• Connection and commissioning of the generator.
COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 11
 Network Connection Agreement
• “Contract” between proponent and Country Energy
• Includes general, technical and financial terms with AEMO,
requirements (Chapter 5 of the National Electricity Rules), technical
standards, communications & control.
• Key inclusions –connection point - “transfer capacity” from generator
characteristics and – technical standards (Schedule 5.2.5.1 -13) as basis
of registered performance standards
• About committed, not notional project (ie depends on plant selection)
• Needs full (steady state and dynamic) network studies
• Issues include – normal and abnormal state capacity – connection point
+/- reactive power - generator or network parameters ?
COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 12
 What do I need for a successful wind generation
project ?
1. A good wind prospect.
2. A Network Connection Agreement with the local
network operator (Country Energy or otherwise).
3. A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a
retailer of your choice (Country Energy or
otherwise).

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 13
 The Grid…….
•Armidale is a major hub or ‘node’
in the NEM.
•The major substation and
transmission lines belong to
TransGrid.
•The Country Energy 66kV network
(shown in brown) consists of ‘light
duty’ radial lines of limited capacity.
•TransGrid are rebuilding an existing
CE line between Glen Innes and
Inverell.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 14
 The Armidale Precinct and related issues
• There are major transmission lines and a substation in the Armidale
area, but these belong to Transgrid.
• A Government task force is currently looking at the issue of “Scale
Efficient Network Extensions” to ‘open up’ renewable energy
prospects.
• The current ‘rules’ are…….
− The first proponent bears the cost for new lines and
− For existing line capacity, “first in” then a “queue” policy
applies with 6 monthly reviews.

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 15
 Thankyou ! …….any questions ?

COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE
Slide 16