Network Capacity Mapping Tool (NCMT)
Western Power’s information layers in the Network Capacity Mapping Tool (NCMT) have been recently updated and are now consistent with information contained in the 2012 Annual Planning Report.
What is NCMT?
The NCMT is a geospatial map viewer that has been developed and provided by Western Power, in collaboration with the Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission.
The NCMT is an information service that is available to all external parties. It provides access to some of Western Power’s electricity network planning information, including a 20 year outlook of the annual forecast remaining capacity available at Western Power zone substations. This enables the customer to view Western Power’s current and proposed electrical network and understand how it may affect their development plans and investment options.
By selecting a forecast year, the customer will be provided with an online interactive geospatial view of that years forecast remaining capacity for each Western Power zone substation. The tool will display the forecast yearly remaining capacity levels as a coloured polygon that represents the actual supply area of each zone substation for the next 20 years.
In order to maintain customer confidentiality some information will not be displayed. For instance, information on dedicated customer or customer owned substations will not be shown. However, the network planning information supplied by the NCMT will still provide useful early decision making detail for developers and investors.
What information is provided by NCMT?
The tool will also include the following:
- geospatial locations of existing substations, terminals and most power stations with indicative geospatial locations for committed future substations and terminals indicating the likely year of commissioning;
- a list containing the Supply and Transmission network projects that have been approved for each existing Western Power substation plus the approved projects for committed future Western Power substations. This list will also include supply area specific identified issues and will be consistent with each year’s Annual Planning Report;
- high voltage overhead transmission lines indicating kV rating;
- community engagement session schedules - location and details;
- the overhead and under ground high voltage feeder reticulation for each existing Western Power substation showing single (1) and three (3) phase availability;
- potential SWIS connection points for energy generators. Shown as points of connection for generators with the following outputs 0<X≤1MVA, 1<X<5MVA, 1<X<10MVA and 1<X≤30MVA. The ‘Generation Connection Capacity Map’ can be found on the ‘Generator and Transmission Connections’ page of the Western Power website and is included in the Independent Market Operator’s Statement of Opportunities that was published in July 2010. The NCMT has expanded this maps view to show and rate all points of potential connection for the SWIS; and
- the Department of Planning has also made specific geospatial data sets available for the NCMT.
What information is NOT provided by NCMT?
Customers/users should be aware and understand that the network planning information supplied by the NCMT
- is not necessarily complete;
- does not replace the current application process;
- does not replace ‘Dial Before You Dig’;
- is general in nature; and
- should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research and professional advice.
The NCMT is supplied with a ‘User Guide and Explanatory Notes’ document. This document contains instructions and explanatory notes specific to each selectable layer of Western Power planning information. Western Power advises all users to review this document before using the NCMT.
