The Australian Government is accelerating the delivery of reliable renewables in the Northern Territory after signing a landmark $250 million deal with the NT Government as part of the Rewiring the Nation Program.
Through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), the investment will create hundreds of new jobs and see the power grid upgraded and expanded across the Territory, supporting major transmission projects and bolstering grid strength.
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The Rewiring the Nation investment will also accelerate the rollout of transmission projects across the Territory with the first wave of these to be completed before 2030.
The deal includes an agreement to deploy community-scale solar, rooftop solar and clean energy technologies throughout the Territory. This will provide up to $500 in energy cost savings per year for consumers locked out of installing their own rooftop solar, like hardship customers, renters and apartment dwellers.
Projects financed under this agreement will contribute to the energy mix across the Territory by increasing amounts of renewable generation such as solar and wind and reducing reliance on power generation from fossil fuels.
In addition to priority projects supporting the Darwin-Katherine Interconnected System (DKIS), there is potential for projects in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek to also receive support as part of the decarbonisation of the NT’s energy system.
Northern Territory Minister for Energy and Renewables Kate Worden said, “Investing in battery technology ensures Territorians will have reliable power supply as we move to integrate more renewable energy into our electricity grid.
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“We can make these investments because the Territory Government owns our assets like Power and Water, Territory Generation and Jacana.
“Because we own our assets, we can keep the cost of power low. We also subside the power bill of every Territory household by $1,500 a year through the Community Service Obligation.”
