New connections
Sometimes your circumstances change and you may need to cancel or change the information within your application after you have submitted it to us.
If you wish to change the scope of work in your application we will first review the change and then either:
- continue the project with the variation and invoice you for any additional materials, design work and remobilisation costs incurred. We will typically only take this approach when the change is very minor.
or
- if the change is significant we will cancel your project. You will need to submit a new application with your new requirements.
For cancelled applications we will invoice you for the costs incurred up to the point of cancellation (time and materials). If construction work has already commenced we will refund the difference from your access offer less any costs incurred.
We use thresholds to help determine ‘competing’ load applications as part of our Applications and Queuing Policy (AQP). Thresholds are currently defined by demand values for a given load area or network region.
Following a review of the threshold levels in June 2014, we revised our ‘Non-Competing Application Thresholds’ test and will now only consider new load applications which meet the following two criteria to be non-competing for the purpose of the AQP.
- The total load must not exceed 1.5 MVA for its National Metering Identifier (NMI), and
- The load application must be eligible for network tariffs RT1-RT6.
Customers on network tariffs RT1 – RT6 best represent customers that are considered part of ‘natural load growth’.
The revised ‘Non-Competing Application Thresholds’ test will apply across the South West Interconnected Network (SWIN) from September 2014 and replaces all previous thresholds identified in our 2013 Annual Planning Report. This amendment will ensure there are consistent thresholds across the SWIN.
All load applications deemed to satisfy the two revised ‘Non-Competing Application Thresholds’ test criteria will be granted firm access to the SWIN. All other load applications will be subject to a Competing Applications Group if there are multiple applications behind a common network constraint, or as part of an Applicant-Specific Solution process.
We use DIgSILENT PowerFactory as the simulation software for all power system studies carried out in the South West Interconnected Network (SWIN). For more information on the PowerFactory version, please contact your Customer Relations Consultant or Access Consultant.
Request for computer model
Our Technical Rules clause 3.2.4 (b) state that the we may provide any information we receive to any User who intends to connect any equipment to the transmission system for the purposes of enabling that User to undertake any power system simulation studies it wishes to undertake, subject to that User entering into a confidentiality agreement with us.
The request for computer models can be submitted to us via email or other formal communication to your Customer Relations Consultant or Access Consultant with:
- Details of the company requiring the computer model
- Purpose of the request and intended use of the model
- Nominated people that will have access to the model
- Payment of the standard processing fee of AUD $500.
Once we received this information your Customer Relations Consultant or Access Consultant will give you a prepared Confidentiality Agreement.
Confidentiality Agreement
A Confidentiality Agreement must be entered into with us clearly stating the Purpose and the specific people who can access the model for the stated ahead of any modelling information being released by us.
In some cases, depending on the type of modelling information requested, we may need to seek consent from other Third Parties who have provided information to us under particular terms.
Once the Confidentiality Agreement has been finalised, we will issue the modelling information electronically to the nominated personnel identified in the Confidentiality Agreement.
Model content
Depending on the request we may provide only a steady state PowerFactory model or steady state and dynamic PowerFactory model. Dynamic models can often take longer to be issued we need to seek Third Party approval prior to issuing their models.
Strata schemes typically have a single connection point to the Western Power network that determines the total allocation of available electricity supply and generation capacity to be shared by all strata lots.
This connection point has a fixed capacity, so it's important for strata lot owners and prospective purchasers to be aware of the arrangements and obligations relating to the connection, as it may restrict their ability to install equipment such as home EV charging stations, rooftop solar panels and batteries.
Before applying to connect this type of equipment, strata lot owners should first seek permission from their strata company to use an allocation of the total network capacity allocated to the strata scheme.
Failing to do this may prevent other strata lot owners from connecting their own equipment, or require the strata company to upgrade the connection to the Western Power network to accommodate the needs of all strata lot owners.
It's important to remember that the strata company is ultimately responsible for the management of the common connection to the Western Power network and the common electrical system within the strata scheme. Effective management of this shared resource will allow the benefits of renewable energy solutions to be shared by the all strata lot owners.
More information about strata titling principles can be found in Landgate's Guide to strata titles.
See also: How do I apply for solar power in a lifestyle village, large strata or other multi-residential site?
Western Power is regulated by the state government in terms of how it can earn revenue. Our revenue (through tariffs) is determined by the size of our Regulated Asset Base (RAB).
When streetlights are added to the RAB they have an economic life of 20 years. If a streetlight is replaced or upgraded to LED lighting when it is younger than 20 years old, there’s still some value in there that we haven’t recovered back yet.