Stand-alone power systems
SPS is an off-grid power solution, independent to the main electricity grid, which generates, stores, and delivers power to rural households and small businesses. It uses renewable energy via solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, battery storage, inverter(s), and a backup diesel generator. We pay for the upfront cost of the unit and any ongoing costs associated with operation and maintenance, faults, and replacement.
Customers continue to pay their Synergy bill at the same unit cost as a grid or network connected property.
An SPS is a self-sufficient off-grid power source. Energy is generated by the solar panels, powering the property, and charging the batteries for use when the sun isn’t shining. A backup generator also kicks in when needed to keep energy flowing. The unit operates independently of the main electricity grid to store and deliver reliable power to a household or business.
Up to 95% of the SPS electricity comes from solar panels and stored solar energy in the battery.
SPS plays a key role in our strategy to create a more renewable and greener energy future for WA. Using SPS instead of poles and wires on suitable properties and locations has a number of benefits, including:
- Improved power reliability: as power is generated on-site, customers can expect significantly less or no power outages
- Removing overhead network: powerlines will be removed once all properties on the connecting spur have been converted to SPS, allowing us to decommission the overhead network in this area
- Bushfire risk reduction
- Lowering emissions: up to 95% of the SPS electricity comes from solar panels and the stored solar energy in the battery, it plays a role in moving towards a cleaner energy future
- Modular and adaptable: SPS units come in different sizes so they can be adapted to suit a customer’s power needs
- Small footprint: An SPS enclosure requires a small footprint, compared to long feeder lines crossing a property
- Remote monitoring: Our monitoring system can provide real-time visibility of the SPS unit performance, enabling preventative maintenance such as topping up the diesel in an optimised run.
- Greater resilience to severe weather: SPS generates and stores power locally, reducing customers’ exposure to outages caused by storms, bushfires and damage to long overhead powerlines.
- Reduced electric-shock risk: Replacing overhead infrastructure with an SPS enables poles and powerlines to be removed, reducing exposure to electrical hazards associated with damaged or fallen network assets.
We review rural powerlines to identify customers and network areas where SPS may provide a more efficient, reliable and practical alternative to continued overhead network supply. When assessing potential sites, we consider:
- the long-term cost of SPS compared with maintaining or replacing the overhead network
- customer energy needs and connection suitability
- network condition, reliability and safety risks, including bushfire risk
- technical feasibility, land access and environmental requirements.
Currently, only customers who live on properties we’ve identified after a comprehensive feasibility evaluation are eligible. We proactively contact customers who meet the eligibility criteria.
We cover the cost of SPS installation, maintenance, and replacement. This includes site visits and investigations, system installation and ongoing maintenance.
We design SPS to cater for the standard supply of 63A, with up to 40A of inrush, as defined in the Western Australian Service and Installation Requirements (WASIR). Given the range of customer load & consumption requirements, we’ve designed our fleet to be modular and flexible. SPS can be scaled up or down where required.
SPS sizing is based on:
- a detailed review of customer’s historical consumption data, and where available advanced metering (AMI) data
- a site inspection
- the customer’s approved future plans (if applicable).
Our initial customer engagement, site visit and review of historical consumption data is critical in getting the SPS sizing right. The nature, timing and duration of the load being used impacts the PV and battery capacity required for the system. On days with significantly higher overnight energy consumption than usual, or days with cloud cover, back-up generation may be used.
The system design is in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards and a lifecycle assessment is used to identify the optimum mix of solar, battery storage and backup generation. We aim for up to 95% of all energy to be generated from renewable sources.
A single SPS can supply a maximum of five customers, but this may vary depending on the capacity needs of each connection. In most cases due to energy requirements, distance between sites and available space only one SPS is deployed per connection.
While SPS are installed in rural areas, they have significant flow-on benefits for customers in metropolitan and other built-up areas.
SPS operate like a mini-micro-grid, providing self-sufficient, renewable and reliable power on-site for a customer. The first Western Power SPS trial in 2016 looked to understand how new technologies could be used to create renewable energy solutions that deliver improved power quality in a more cost-effective way. These learnings have been used to inform other energy technology developments across the grid.
SPS provides significant cost savings as they reduce the need for poles and wires infrastructure replacement and maintenance in remote areas. These savings are being reinvested back into the network, enabling the roll-out of more energy technology solutions like community batteries in Perth metro or renewable microgrids in regional towns.
With technologies like SPS, our network is transforming. It is becoming more modular with localised energy solutions and more renewable integration, creating a smarter and more sustainable energy future for us all.
Discover how SPS in rural WA started a renewable energy transformation in metro areas
If you require a new connection at your property within 10 years of poles and wires being decommissioned, we will connect your property in accordance with the Electricity Industry (Obligation to Connect) Regulations (2005). As the traditional overhead network will be decommissioned, any new connection at this location will be serviced by a SPS.
To ensure you are not disadvantaged by the removal of the overhead network, we will preserve the network equivalent connection costs for new connection applications for premises within 100 metres of the removed poles and wires, for a period of two years from the date of notification of our intention to decommission the network. This means, if you need a new connection at your property where network infrastructure is scheduled for removal or has already been removed, you will be able to receive that new connection at the lowest cost – either a network equivalent cost or SPS cost, whichever is lower. After the two-year period has expired, any new customers will be required to pay the full cost of an SPS connection.
The preservation of connection costs is attached to the land, not the customer. For example, in cases where an eligible customer decides to sell or subdivide their land, the new landowner(s) of the property or the subdivided land parcels are eligible for the preserved network connection costs if they have bought the property and applied for a new connection within two years of the customer communication regarding decommissioning being sent.
To be eligible to receive a new connection at the ‘lowest cost’ during this period, you will need to provide all relevant planning information (including, but not limited to, building permits, development plans and approvals or certified electrical loads) when applying for a new connection.
You can see where the obligation to connect zone applies by viewing our map.
For more information, please contact us.
We want to keep you safe, so if we identify electrical equipment that is faulty or damaged while we’re on site you will need to fix it at your cost.
Common examples include damaged meter boards, faulty earth stakes, and dilapidated private power poles. If we identify any faulty electrical equipment on your property or areas that require improvement during the site visit, you will be required to remedy this issue at your cost.
In instances where this poses an immediate and critical safety risk, we are legally required to disconnect your power at the meter. We provide a ‘Your Action Required’ pack detailing what needs to be fixed. Customers are required to engage a licensed electrical contractor to rectify these issues at their cost before we can turn power back on.
SPS generate and store electricity at the customer’s property, allowing the long overhead powerlines previously supplying the property to be de-energised and removed. This reduces the risk associated with powerlines exposed to lightning, vegetation, debris and other environmental conditions, helping improve bushfire safety in rural areas.
Customers powered by SPS
A member of our SPS team will contact you to explain the program and learn more about how you use electricity. If required, we’ll install an advanced meter to collect information about your energy use and help determine the right SPS size for your property.
We’ll then arrange a site visit to confirm your power needs, discuss a suitable location for the SPS and assess whether your property is suitable. Being contacted does not mean your property has been approved for SPS.
Call our 24-hour emergency line on 13 13 51 to report a fault or hazard.
You’ll need to provide your property address, NMI, or meter number. These details can all be found on your Synergy bill.
Although the risk of fire in an SPS is low it is always important to be prepared. In the event of a fire approaching, or suspected fire within the SPS area, please follow the below steps:
- Contact 000 immediately.
- Do not attempt to fight a fire within the SPS enclosure (fenced area).
- Report the fire to Western Power on 13 13 51.
If safe to do so (outside the SPS enclosure), minimise the spread of a fire e.g. wetting down surrounding vegetation. Ensure you’re protected from any fumes.
As part of its regular maintenance, we are responsible for maintaining any vegetation within the SPS enclosure, we urge you to have other general fire mitigation measures in place to minimise risk. These include maintaining fire breaks, including surrounding the SPS enclosure, and updating your bushfire plans.
Visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au for more advice on bushfire preparedness.
While we manage the cost and responsibility of the ongoing operation and maintenance of SPS, customers and property owners are expected to:
- not enter the SPS enclosure
- provide Western Power with access to the property as required
- let Western Power know about any plans to significantly increase their load requirements
- keep the area around the SPS clear of structures and vegetation that could affect performance (e.g. avoid planting trees or building a shed that will shade the solar panels)
- maintain a fire break around the SPS
- let us know before installing any generation (renewable or otherwise), and
- let us know if they have recently sold the property the connection is on, and
continue to pay the Synergy bill.
For safety reasons, only qualified persons authorised by Western Power are permitted to access the SPS unit and the surrounding compound. Under the Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979 (WA), it is an offence for an unauthorised person to access or interfere with the Western Power network (which includes SPS units operated by Western Power). Each offence may carry a fine of up to $2,000.
If you become aware of a fault with the SPS unit or compound, please contact Western Power on 13 13 51.
Your SPS uses solar energy and battery storage to supply your property, with the backup generator operating when additional power is needed. How often it runs will depend on your electricity use, overnight demand, cloud cover and seasonal conditions. The generator will also run for at least 15 minutes each week as part of its regular maintenance cycle.
The generator is positioned away from residential buildings where possible to minimise noise. You do not need to refuel or maintain it. We monitor the fuel level, service the SPS as required and will contact you before accessing your property to carry out maintenance or refuelling.
SPS are designed to provide suitable levels of inrush current for most common appliances. The requirements within the Western Australian Service and Installation Requirements (WASIR) specify max inrush of 40A for the Western Power Small network area (which includes 10kVa and 25kVa split phase transformers).
Inrush above 40A may be possible in certain circumstances; however, it is not guaranteed on an SPS or on the overhead network.
This means any equipment larger than 2kVA is likely to exceed 40A inrush without soft starting mechanisms. If you would like more information, please reach out to our team and we can talk you through your individual needs.
Please contact us if you’re planning to lease or sell your property. This is to help us understand how energy use at this property may change, as well as updating contact details.
If you are looking to significantly increase your energy use at the property, it is important you reach out to discuss with us, providing as much notice as possible.
We work with you to identify a suitable location for the SPS on your property. Where possible, we’ll choose a location that meets your needs while allowing the system to be safely installed, accessed and maintained. The location must:
- be accessible to Western Power crews throughout the year
- have firm, relatively flat ground that is not prone to flooding
- be a suitable distance from homes and workers’ sleeping quarters, and
- have appropriate clearance from vegetation, buildings and other structures.
Please contact Western Power before planning or building any new structure near the SPS. New structures must maintain suitable clearances so crews can safely access and maintain the system and to avoid affecting its performance. For example, a structure may shade the solar panels or reflect heat towards the SPS, reducing energy generation or affecting battery performance.
This applies to structures such as:
- houses
- workers’ quarters
- sheds or workshops
- shearing sheds or stockyards
- shipping containers or temporary storage
- fuel storage
- washdown bays
- GPS towers
- silos
Buildings containing living, working or sleeping areas may require additional separation from the SPS to manage safety, noise and visual amenity. Our team can help you identify a suitable location before work begins.
Care should be taken when undertaking activities near a Standalone Power System. Units are often located near areas accessed by farming machinery, vehicles and livestock and can be vulnerable to accidental damage.
To help prevent damage, customers are expected to take care when:
- Operating machinery and vehicles, particularly when reversing or manoeuvring near the SPS, and ensure adequate clearance is maintained.
- Loading machinery or handling fertilisers and chemicalsnear the SPS. Some liquid fertilisers and agricultural chemicals can be corrosive and should be stored, mixed and applied well clear of SPS infrastructure.
- Moving or managing livestocknear the SPS to minimise the risk of damage to fencing, gates or equipment.
We will try to contact you prior to attending your property. If we can’t get in touch, we may still need to access the property. As an energy operator, we’re permitted to enter properties for these purposes. For more information, please visit Land Access Legislation.
You will continue to receive a bill from Synergy for the electricity you use. The cost per unit of electricity will not change and is the same as network-connected customers. If your electricity usage stays the same, so will your bill.
Want to lower your power bill? Find easy and energy efficient changes you can make at energy.gov.au
Yes. Customers can install and operate their own solar PV systems, batteries and engine-driven generators alongside an SPS, provided certain technical requirements are met.
Customer-owned generation systems operate independently of the SPS and can help increase energy independence and reduce energy costs. To maintain the safety and reliability of the SPS, these systems must be configured so they do not export electricity back into the SPS.
Requirements for customer-owned generation include:
- Solar and battery systemsmust be configured for self-consumption only and must not export energy.
- Backup generatorsmust be connected through an open-transition changeover switch, which disconnects the premises from the SPS before the generator is started. This generator operates independently of the generator integrated within the SPS.
Because an SPS operates independently from the broader electricity network, customer-owned generation systems must not export electricity. As a result:
- customers are not eligible for Renewable Energy Buyback Schemes;
- excess electricity cannot be exported or sold back to the network; and
- all electricity generated must either be used on-siteor stored in a battery system.
For more information, please refer to the Western Power Embedded Generation Connection Technical Requirements.
Western Power’s SPS may support Electric Vehicle (EV) charging, where the load has been considered when first installed. EV charging can represent a significant additional electrical load, particularly when combined with other high-demand appliances. Western Power can provide guidance on suitable charging arrangements for your SPS and help you understand any potential effect on system performance.
As an SPS is supplied primarily by solar generation and battery storage, charging during daylight hours can make better use of available renewable energy. Charging at a lower rate or over several days may also help manage demand. Depending on available solar generation, battery charge and other electricity use, charging your EV at night may require support from the diesel generator.
Customer-owned solar generation and battery storage provide additional support for EV charging. These can help to reduce your bills, demand on the SPS and potentially minimise generator runtime.
Tips for EV Charging
- Where practical, charge during daylight hours, generally between 9am to 3pm, when solar generation is more likely to be available
- Consider charging your car over multiple days rather than completing a full charge in one session.
- Be aware that overnight charging may draw on stored battery energy or require the diesel generator to operate.
- Contact Western Power before installing a new EV charger or increasing your charging capacity, particularly if EV charging was not included when your SPS was originally installed.
|
Charging Method |
Charging rate |
Time to recharge 100k of range |
|---|---|---|
|
Fast charging (day) |
7 kW |
Approximately 2.5 hours |
|
Slow charging (day or night) |
Standard 10 Amp socket outlet |
Approximately 8 hours |
* Charging times are indicative only and will vary by vehicle and operating conditions. A 7 kW charging rate may not be suitable for every SPS or available at all times.
As SPS technology and operating arrangements continue to develop, Western Power may introduce equipment or controls to help coordinate EV charging with the operating characteristics of an SPS. Any proposed changes will be discussed with the customer.
If you have your own solar panels or battery storage:
Choose an inverter that can handle the load of charging an EV. Some inverters are designed specifically for off-grid setups and can manage the fluctuating power supply from solar panels.
Consider using smart Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) that can adjust the charging rate based on the available solar power and battery storage. This helps to optimise charging efficiency and prevent system overload.
Customers identified for the SPS Program are generally offered a Western Power-owned and operated Stand-alone Power System (SPS) as a replacement for their network connection.
In some circumstances, Western Power may offer an alternative option called a Proactive Supply Abolishment (PSA). A PSA is a one-off payment made in lieu of maintaining a network connection, allowing eligible landowners to arrange and fund their own off-grid power solution before the network connection is removed.
Eligibility for a PSA is subject to specific criteria, including the connection having an active meter. The SPS Engagement Team will discuss PSA options during the engagement process and advise whether a property may be suitable.
Choosing to self-source an off-grid power system is a significant decision, particularly where it involves the removal of a residential electricity connection. Customers should carefully consider:
- the upfront cost of purchasing and installing an off-grid power system;
- ongoing operating and maintenance costs;
- future repair and replacement costs;
- whether the system will meet their long-term energy needs;
- obtaining independent tax, financial and legal advice where appropriate; and
- seeking quotes from reputable suppliers before making a decision.
Where a PSA is approved and the connection being removed is the last remaining electrical connection on the property, Western Power will place a Section 70A notification on the property's Certificate of Title. This notification advises future owners that the property's Western Power network connection has been permanently removed.
For some customers, a Western Power-owned SPS provides a lower-risk alternative, as Western Power remains responsible for operating, maintaining and replacing the SPS throughout its life.
The Section 70A fees will be deducted from the financial payment made to the customer.
There are two flat rate charges:
- A – Individual proprietor rate - $771.98 (GST Incl.)
- B – Company proprietor rate - $818.84 (GST Incl.)
Fees include Landgate fees and internal Western Power costs. Please note these fees are updated annually.
Approving a PSA is at the sole discretion of Western Power, and not all connections will be eligible.
If your connection is suitable for conversion to an SPS but you're not ready to decide, Western Power may offer an SPS I Owe You (IOU) arrangement.
An SPS IOU allows us to remove the network connection while preserving your option to have an SPS installed in the future. The agreement is valid for five years and may be extended for a further five years if required.
If you decide you need power during the IOU period, simply contact Western Power. We will recommence the SPS engagement process and arrange installation, subject to the required information being provided.
If you decide you no longer require power at the property, you can request supply abolishment at any time. Western Power will cover the cost of removing the connection.
This option provides flexibility while you consider your future power needs.
As part of the SPS customer engagement process we identify meters that are de-energised, with no Synergy account holder. These customers have the option of
- Reconnecting their meter (by activating their electricity account with Synergy), paying the daily supply charge to be eligible for an SPS
- Choosing to abolish their supply. We will cover the cost to abolish the supply for SPS customers, or
- An IOU.
If you require a new connection within 100 metres of decommissioned overhead network infrastructure, Western Power will preserve your right to request a connection for 10 years following the removal of poles and wires.
We will have notified all landowners in this 100m area the network is being decommissioned in writing. The date on this communication determines how costs will be applied. For the two years following the communication customers are eligible to receive the new connection at the lower of the network equivalent cost or SPS cost.
The preservation of cost provision is attached to the land, not the customer. If an eligible property is sold or subdivided, the landowner(s) remain eligible for the costs detailed above.
Eligibility is subject to the customer providing all relevant planning information including, but not limited to, building permits, development plans and approvals or certified electrical loads.
For more information please contact us.
Reinstating the connection within 100 metres of the previous spur where network infrastructure is scheduled for removal (or has already been removed) will be treated as a new connection request.
If the application is made prior to or within two years of Western Power’s written notification the network will be removed, we will preserve the network equivalent connection cost for a period of two years.
Please contact us or email the SPS team so we can investigate this for you.
Western Power monitors and maintains the SPS batteries, so you do not need to maintain them yourself. Each SPS has a built-in battery management system (BMS) that monitors battery performance and helps manage safety by keeping the batteries within safe operating limits. The BMS can automatically protect or disconnect the batteries if it detects an issue.
If the battery charge becomes low, the backup generator starts automatically to maintain supply and protect the batteries. In the unlikely event the generator does not start, the SPS may temporarily shut down to prevent battery damage, with power restored once the batteries recharge to a safe level. Western Power covers the ongoing operation, maintenance, fault response and replacement of the SPS.
We understand issues with SPS may arise and we encourage your feedback. You can submit your feedback online on Western Power’s website, or write to us at:
Complaints Team,
Locked Bag 2530,
Perth, WA 6001
For more information read the Western Power complaints handling process.
All customer connections identified as suitable for the SPS Program will be offered a Western Power owned and operated SPS unit.
However, in some exceptional cases, we offer a one-off payment in lieu of a network connection. This allows eligible landowners to self-source an off-grid power supply, the network connection would then be removed.
To be eligible, the connection must have an active meter and the customer must be paying a daily supply charge. A customer will have 30 days to decide if they want to accept the PSA offer, after this point they will be, where appropriate, returned to the SPS program.
It is a big decision to remove the electricity connection to the property and we ask that customers carefully consider a number of factors including obtaining tax advice and market quotes for a replacement. It is important to consider the full cost of an independent off-grid power supply including the lifetime cost of maintenance, repairs and replacement.
If the abolishment of supply at the connection point would result in there being no Western Power electrical supply to the property whatsoever, a Section 70 notification will be placed on the Certificate of Title for the property. This will note the primary residential connection was once connected to our network; however, is no longer connected following abolishment of a connection point and customer acceptance of a payment.
Approval of whether a customer would be suitable to receive a one-off financial contribution is at the discretion of Western Power.
Western Power will contact all eligible property owners who live on, or near, a portion of the network that is being, or has been transitioned to SPS to inform them of these changes. To ensure customers are not disadvantaged because of the removal of these assets, Western Power will preserve the network equivalent connection costs for new connection applications within 100 metres of removed poles and wires, for a period of two years. This means, if a customer seeks a new connection on their property, where network infrastructure is scheduled for removal (or has already been removed), they will be able to receive that new connection at the ‘lowest cost’ being either a network equivalent cost or SPS cost, whichever is lower. After the two-year period has expired, any new customers will be required to pay the full cost of a SPS connection.
Western Power will send a letter to all customers who live within 100m of the portion of the network that is being decommissioned as part of the SPS program, and the two-year preservation period will commence from the date on that letter.
You’ll need to apply for a new connection and pay the full cost of SPS instalment.
We’ll honour the network connection cost for new connection applications for two years from the date the line was transitioned to SPS, if the network connection is lower than the cost of a SPS. The two-year period commences on the date the property owner is contacted by us, and is tied to the land, not the property owner. If the property is sold during this two-year period, the new property owner can apply for a new connection at the lower connection cost.
To be eligible to receive a new connection at the ‘lowest cost’ during the two-year period, you’ll need to provide all relevant documentation and planning information including, but not limited to:
- Development plans
- Third party approvals
- Certified electrical loads
If an SPS customer wants the SPS removed from their property because they no longer need a connection, they will need to contact the SPS team directly via 9326 4140 or sps@westernpower.com.au.
Please contact the SPS team directly via 9326 4140 or sps@westernpower.com.au