How our energy needs will be met in the future has been laid out by the Government’s release of its Whole of System Plan (WoSP).
From an energy viewpoint, Western Australia is a big place, with more than 2.3 million customers - homes and businesses - needing power to run their lights and lives every day.
Western Power manages the South West Interconnected Grid System (SWIS), which accounts for the electricity network from Kalbarri in the north inland to Kalgoorlie to Esperance on the south-coast.
Although Western Power is the network Distribution System Operator, we work with many others in the energy industry, including the government, power generators and other network providers like Horizon.
Together, as new technologies have created new opportunities for the way energy is created and managed, we have been transforming towards a brighter energy future.
How the SWIS will operate in the future has been laid out in the State Government’s Whole of System Plan (WoSP).
The WoSP is a long-term and detailed plan developed by Western Power, the State Government, EPWA and AEMO.
It documents how the generation, management and distribution of energy in the SWIS will change over the next few decades, and what needs to be done to respond, such as the investment or infrastructure required.
Four different credible scenarios have been modelled, looking at how we might continue to achieve lower-cost, lower-emissions electricity in the future.
The WoSP has nine key themes and expectations that will guide the future of energy in the SWIS.
These are:
We’ve been considering and planning for the future of the network for some time now.
The WoSP provides further support to the direction we have been taking to create a more modular and renewable grid, and the technologies and projects we have been trialling and implementing over the past few years, such as SPS, community batteries, microgrids and Flexibility Services.
We have more work underway to support the vision of the WoSP - adapting and integrating the two-way flow of renewable power from solar and wind into the grid and making the most of new technologies to deliver sustainable and reliable electricity for the emissions and cost.
Working with our other partners in the WoSP, we have a blueprint to support and improve the energy network for West Australians for decades to come.