Ausnet: Jindera-Wodonga project

Project overview

Australia’s electricity grid is undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime revolution as coal-fired generation retires earlier than anticipated and the shift to renewables continues to gather pace. Power flows between Victoria and NSW were restricted by thermal limitations, which over time would have led to reduced access to lower-cost, renewable generation sources in the southern states. Ausnet Services deployed SmartValves on the Jindera-Wodonga transmission line to route power flows onto the underutilized western 330 kV transmission corridor. By intelligently controlling power flows in real-time, SmartValve balances power across multiple lines, relieving constraints and increasing interregional export capability by approximately 15 MW. This reduces the risk of supply shortfalls in Victoria following the retirement of fossil fuel-based generation.

Media

NSW-Victoria Interconnector Receiving Increased Electricity Flows Due to Advanced Smart Grid Technology

The benefits

Quote

“Advanced technological solutions like SmartValve enable us to unlock extra capacity on our existing network – ensuring stable, reliable supply, more renewable energy, and less requirement for new infrastructure. Essentially this technology is improving utilization of our current network; the result being lower prices for our customers, less impact on the environment and our communities, and an increase in the amount of renewables we can safely integrate.”