Transgrid has released its Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR), which outlines six options for Sydney Ring South to strengthen electricity supply for Sydney, Wollongong, and Newcastle.
The Sydney Ring South project is required to close the gap in transmission lines and link Greater Sydney with renewable energy generation from Snowy 2.0 and the South West Renewable Energy Zone.
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Transgrid executive general manager of metwork Jason Krstanoski said, “As coal-fired power stations reach end-of-life, our electricity is increasingly sourced from lower-cost renewable energy sources located across NSW.
“That means the existing transmission corridor approaching Sydney from the south is under increasing pressure, creating a bottleneck that limits electricity flow and reduces our ability to deliver new cheaper forms of power to our rapidly growing cities and support an increasingly electrified modern economy.
“The Australian Market Energy Operator has identified Sydney Ring South as a safe, secure and reliable long-term electricity supply solution for Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle, which collectively account for three-quarters of NSW’s energy demand.
“By opening up the supply of lower-cost renewable energy, we anticipate Sydney Ring South would enable annual power bill savings of up to $51 for a typical NSW household and around $110 for an average small business.
“While planning is in the early stages and no decisions have been made, Transgrid is inviting early feedback from communities, consumers, government, industry and other interested stakeholders to help shape the future of the project.”
Transgrid has released a Project Assessment Draft Report, the first stage in the independent cost-benefit regulatory process, outlining six potential technical solutions for Sydney Ring South.
The report identifies a preferred technical option that would potentially deliver an estimated $3.2 billion in net market benefits for NSW consumers and the broader economy.
Iterations of the option include augmentations to improve utilisation of the existing 330kV network by 2030-31 and a new 500kV transmission line from southern NSW near Bannaby to South Western Sydney, more than doubling the capacity of the southern transmission corridor into Sydney.
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Transgrid is inviting early feedback on the Sydney Ring South Project Assessment Draft Report from communities, consumers, government, industry, and other interested stakeholders.
