PIAC responded to TransGrid’s Broken Hill Supply RIT-T Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR) consultation.
While PIAC supports the use of storage and demand response options considered in the PADR, we raise strong concerns with the preferred option identified by TransGrid.
Compressed air storage technology at the scale considered for this project is far from commercially viable or proven and PIAC is deeply concerned that TransGrid is considering contracting such a complicated and risky project. Further, we consider it would be irresponsible and imprudent for TransGrid to use regulated revenue to trial experimental technologies to provide essential energy supply and meet the NSW transmission reliability standard.
PIAC supports TransGrid seeking potentially inconsistent treatment of costs in the RIT-T to be examined further, to establish whether it may lead to material consumer detriment.
