Australia's AEMO publishes 2020 Integrated System Plan

It picked four actionable projects expected to be completed by 2022-26.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has identified committed, actionable, and future power projects under its recently published 2020 Integrated System Plan (ISP), according to a press release.

Previously committed ISP projects include South Australian system strength remediation, the Western Victorian Transmission Network Project, and QNI Minor, which is the addition of 150MW of capacity on the NSW-Qld interconnector.

Deemed actionable include a minor upgrade to the existing Victoria ‒ NSW Interconnector (VNI), a new 330kV double-circuit interconnector between South Australia and New South Wales (Project EnergyConnect), a 500kV transmission upgrade to reinforce the NSW southern shared network (HumeLink), and a network augmentations for the Central-West Orana REZ Transmission Link.

With the earlier three projects in its regulatory approval process, these projects are expected to be completed by 2022-26.

Two further projects are deemed actionable with additional decision rules, namely a new high voltage alternating current interconnector between Victoria and NSW (VNI West), and two new HVDC cables connecting Victoria and Tasmania (Marinus Link).

Future ISP projects include major upgrades to the NSW-Qld interconnector, and grid augmentations in QLD, NSW and Victoria, which are all included in the optimal development path for the NEM.

The ISP identifies the development path for the country’s National Electricity Market (NEM) that will both maximise consumer benefits and deliver $11b in net market benefits to 2040. It identified categories of transmission projects allowed to be developed through the Renewable Investment Test - Transmission (RIT-T) process.