❓ Hon Norman Moore questions the Minister for Energy regarding the Perth to Geraldton electricity transmission line, exploring alternative options and cost-effectiveness. The Minister, Hon Kim Chance, provides detailed responses referencing regulatory requirements and publicly available documents.
AnsweredQoN 573Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH TO GERALDTON ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION LINE
I refer the minister to the decision to build a 330 000 volt transmission line from Perth to Geraldton. (1) What other options did the government consider as a means of meeting the growing demand for power in the mid-west? (2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE
I refer the minister to the decision to build a 330 000 volt transmission line from Perth to Geraldton. (1) What other options did the government consider as a means of meeting the growing demand for power in the mid-west? (2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(1) What other options did the government consider as a means of meeting the growing demand for power in the mid-west? (2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(1) What other options did the government consider as a means of meeting the growing demand for power in the mid-west? (2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(2) Would it not be more economical to build a power station in the mid-west? (3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(3) Will the minister table a copy of any analysis undertaken for the government that shows that the proposed transmission line is the best option; and, if not, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of this question. (1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(1) Western Power considered a number of options to meet growing demand for power in the mid-west, including generation and transmission options, load reduction through demand side management, single-circuit 132 kilovolt augmentation, and doing nothing. An assessment of alternative options is a requirement of the Western Australian regulatory test set out in chapter 9 of the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004. In addition, Western Power has made submissions to the Economic Regulation Authority under the provisions of the new facilities investment test as required in the Electricity Networks Access Code 2004 to ensure that the proposal satisfies requirements for efficiency, revenue, net benefits, safety and reliability. The ERA is currently considering this submission. (2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(2) One of the main reasons for building the new 330 kilovolt line from Perth to Geraldton is to allow new generation facilities in the mid-west, including several proposed wind farms, to connect to the south west interconnected system. The existing network is unable to support any additional generation in the mid-west region; therefore, building a new power station in the region would not remove the need to augment the transmission system. (3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
(3) The analysis of options considered is included in the ERA document entitled “Issues Paper on the New Facilities Investment Test for a 330 kV Transmission Line and Associated Works in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia”. This is a public document and is available on the ERA website. The paper is open to public submissions until Monday, 9 June 2008. Western Power’s analysis of options is also a public document and is available on the Western Power website in a paper entitled “Reinforcement Options for the North Country Region”.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.