On 14 September 2023, the Reliability Panel (Panel) published a final determination to revoke the South Australian destructive winds protected event. The protected event will be revoked from 30 March 2024, prior to the connection of Project EnergyConnect Stage 1 with the grid, expected in April 2024.

The Panel’s determination follows a request from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to revoke the South Australian protected event and instead, manage risks from destructive wind conditions in South Australia using the revised contingency reclassification framework, implemented through the Enhancing operational resilience in relation to indistinct events rule 2022.

The Panel considers that revoking the protected event would promote the long-term interests of consumers by avoiding excessive costs as the power system transforms while simultaneously supporting the secure operation of the power system.

In addition to revoking the South Australian protected event in the final determination, the Panel:

• expects that AEMO will publish updated interconnector flow limits through its Interconnector Capabilities document
• expresses support for AEMO’s planned review of the protected event framework.

The Panel followed the expedited rules consultation procedure
In assessing AEMO’s request, the Panel has followed the expedited rules consultation procedure as it considers that AEMO’s request is a ‘Non-material Proposal’ under NER cl. 8.9.1(a) because it is unlikely to have a significant effect on the NEM or the activities of registered participants.

The Panel invited any person to submit a written objection to the expedited rules consultation procedure by 20 July 2023. The Panel did not receive any such objections.

Background

The South Australian protected event was declared by the Reliability Panel in 2019 to manage heightened risks to the power system during destructive wind conditions, such as those that led to the ‘System Black’ event in South Australia on 28 September 2016.

Project EnergyConnect is a new 330kV AC interconnector between South Australia and New South Wales. Stage 1 is expected to connect with the grid in April 2024 with a transfer capacity of 150 MW, while Stage 2 will be an upgrade to a transfer capacity 800 MW expected in December 2024.

For further information, contact the project leader, Ben Hiron, at ben.hiron@aemc.gov.au or (02) 8296 7855.