How we're managing Minimum Demand

With our customers both consuming energy and now supplying energy, we’re changing the way we manage our network. This includes through strategic investments in batteries, customer incentives, reviews of market rules and network utilisation.

Several measures and initiatives to manage the increasing amounts of rooftop solar have been established jointly with Western Power, AEMO, Synergy and Energy Policy WA including Emergency Solar Management.

Western Power supports the WA Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy (ETS) to manage issues like Minimum Demand, and create a cleaner, more efficient and affordable energy future for our State.

This work is well underway, however rooftop solar installations have exceeded forecast levels in recent years – in part prompted by households making investments at home in response to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

This means that Minimum Demand management has become more important than ever, and we are continuing to work at pace to future-proof our grid.

Other areas that Western Power is playing a significant role in include:  

• Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap - a five-year plan that helps Western Power support high levels of DER on the network ensuring safe, secure and affordable electricity supply now and in the future. It guides changes to policies, regulations, technical requirements and customer protections to support integrating increasing levels of DER in the short, medium and longer term.
  
  
• Whole of System Plan (WOSP) – robust modelling to show how changes in demand, technology and the economy may shape electricity use and guide investments in large‐scale generation, storage and network solutions to achieve lowest‐cost electricity. It brings together the important aspects of power system planning under a single umbrella.
  
  
• Foundation Regulatory Frameworks - the proposal to adopt a framework to improve generator access to the network by providing more equitable access criteria and optimising grid use.
  
  
• SWIS Demand Assessment - State Government assessment of renewable energy demands in the SWIS to inform a consolidated view of the future network.

Additionally, Western Power is keen to work with businesses who have or are developing innovative energy solutions that supports our grid evolution.

Our Network Opportunity Map 2021 outlines the activities we are undertaking, and the opportunities for how large and small business can contribute to our energy transformation program, covering areas like demand management, battery options or other alternatives.

Working together with the WA Government and AEMO and other market participants, we are managing the risks of the energy transformation and making the most of the opportunities that renewable energy can provide the grid, our customers and our community.