As part of our commitment to keep industry informed of network design conformance requirements, and in accordance with standard operational processes, we undertake regular reviews of the network manuals and guides.
A review of the UDS Manual commenced in 2022 in consultation with industry stakeholders. The review was temporarily placed on hold late last year pending the outcome of the network capacity review, which resulted in the introduction of the new standard power supply allocation across the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) announced in April 2023.
We have recommenced the review of the UDS Manual. Updates to the manual will be implemented in stages over the next 18 months due to the large amount of stakeholder feedback received as part of the initial review and subsequent industry forums, as well as the increased pace of change of design safety requirements.
The staged review will also ensure:
- Future design requirements reflect and accommodate the transformation of the network to support the state’s decarbonisation goals.
- Network design and capacity requirements (ADMDs) are appropriate for the future needs of community both in terms of load and generation
- Evolving and newly introduced network safety requirements are met
- Checklists are created in conjunction with the UDS Manual guidelines to support customers with greater design validation requirements before submitting the project to Western Power.
- The content within Western Power’s manuals and guides, align with both current and future network and regulatory requirements
- Content is contained, referenced, and/or relocated in accordance with a future Western Power standards document framework that will facilitate transfer of current UDS technical information to appropriate public publications. This will enhance clarity of policy, required standards and compliance requirements
- As such it is not anticipated that content transfer will occur as a part of this first published review.
Stage 1 - review components
Ahead of the first staged review Western Power has identified and implemented minor updates to the UDS Manual which were published on 1st June 2023 to provide clarification on construction related timelines:
- Diagram - Figure 7 construction timelines (Appendix 14 page 170)
The first stage of updates as part of the review may include but not limited to the following components:
- Review and update of current references, links and applicable dated material
- Review of responsibilities, accountabilities together with associated processes and communication interfaces between WP and industry
- Documentation presentation, revisions, compliance validation and hand over requirements
- Clarification on project scope of works for small and large developments inclusive of overhead conversions and stand-alone/Micro grid systems
- Review of current language used to define application, requirements and responsibility of the requirements more clearly
- SUDL’s and balanced lot arrangements
- Application, use and location of pillars and pits
- Review and revision of supplementary supporting technical content applicable to rural and semi-rural supply and connection arrangements
- Excavation requirements
- Hydrology compliance requirements together with Design Conformance Review (DCR) submissions.
- Single Phase Underground Distribution (SPUD) requirements inclusive of Low Voltage interconnection requirements
- Update of street lighting requirements
- Transmission and communication assets issues
- Easements and third party approvals
- Consultants proposing to handover de-energised cabling.
- Review, rationalisation, and update of all appendices
In maintaining a collaborative approach with industry, we will continue to engage stakeholders whilst seeking feedback on staged UDS Manual updates prior to publication. We expect the revised first stage updates to the UDS Manual will be completed and published by the end of the calendar year.