Question regarding the timeline, rationale, and private sector involvement in the deployment of community PowerBanks in 10 locations, and why metropolitan locations are prioritised over regional areas with reliability issues. The answer provides updates on commissioning and refers to another question for details on rationale and private sector opportunities.

AnsweredQoN 6369Legislative Assembly
Asked
8 September 2020
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap under the heading 'Distribution battery storage' (page 56), and ask: (a) What is the current timeline for deployment of community PowerBanks to the 10 locations mentioned; (b) Why were these locations chosen; (c) Has the tender process been opened to the private sector: (i) If so, what is the nature of opportunities to the private sector; and (d) Given the significant network reliability issues identified by Western
Power in regional Western Australia, with some 10 locations being opened
to a reliability prospectus for private sector solutions, why have
these (mostly metropolitan) locations taken a priority for direct
investment from Western Power?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
8 October 2020
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
9 days
(a) All 10 batteries have been commissioned, however not all have yet had a PowerBank retail product attached to them.
(b)– (c) (i)      Please refer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 6366.
(d) Western Power is also continuing to investigate other opportunities for microgrids similar to the one currently being constructed in Kalbarri and Perenjori for regional Western Australia. However, the financial value of improved reliability may be insufficient for the ERA to allow Western Power to fully recover the cost of these investments.

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