Transmission network documentation
Our standards and supporting documents outline the requirements and criteria required when planning and designing transmission networks.
These documents are published for information purposes only. Users should make and rely on their own inquiries as to the quality, currency, accuracy, completeness, and fitness for purpose of any information contained in the documents. We welcome feedback related to the documents which can be sent via the Technical Standards Feedback form. The feedback form should not be used for project specific technical queries.
Design Standards
Western Power's Design Standards are technical standards which establish key design criteria and interpret compliance against industry standards, codes, aligning with Network Standards.
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| DS(P)-Substation-Substations Earthing Design
This design standard covers the design of earthing systems for transmission zone and terminal substations. The approach taken aligns with AS2067-2016 and is defined in ENA Doc 025, EG-0. This approach uses a risk-based design process that aims to ensure a safe and robust earthing design, whilst balancing between cost, practicality and risk management.
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PDF 26.3 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation-AC Auxiliary Systems
This design standard covers all aspects of a substation AC system, including supplies, loads, distribution boards, cables and protective devices. It discusses the application of the requirements to both zone and terminal yards and greenfield and brownfield sites.
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PDF 26.3 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation-DC Systems
This design standard covers all aspects of a substation DC system, including battery banks, battery chargers and paralleling boards. It discusses the requirements for both zone and terminal yards for greenfield and brownfield sites. The battery system for the communications system is not discussed.
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PDF 1.20 MB
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| DS(P)-Substations-Lightning Protection for Transmission Substations
This design standard sets out the lightning protection requirements for Transmission Zone and Terminal Substations, on both Greenfield and Brownfield sites. It assists with understanding lightning protection design principles and provide a clear understanding of lighting stroke
formation, specifically within transmission substations. |
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PDF 26.3 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation-Oil Containment and Fire Protection
This design standard addresses the basic principles of fire protection in substations and establishes the design requirements necessary to reduce the risk of fire. It also covers the requirements to minimise the effect of a fire, through the use of fire detection and suppression systems. It covers transformer installations in transmission zone and terminal substations for greenfield and brownfield sites.
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PDF 26.3 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation-Substations HV Power Cables & Terminations
This design standard outlines the design requirements for high voltage power cables and terminations, 33kV and below, within zone and terminal substations, including feeder cables within the substation boundary. It also applies to low voltage cables (0.6/1kV) with conductor cross sectional area greater than 70mm2. It covers design within green field and brown field sites.
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PDF 26.3 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation Safety and Maintenance Clearances
This design standard outlines the requirements for developing safe, functional, economic designs for both Greenfield and Brownfield sites, considering current work practices and access methods. It specifies the clearances required and how to apply them in Western Power transmission substations. The specified clearances are mandatory and must be followed for new designs in both Greenfield and Brownfield substations. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 3.46MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Busbars and Conductors
This design standard covers design and checking of substation busbars and conductors commonly used in substations. It applies to greenfield, brownfield and asset replacement projects for Terminal and Zone Substations. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 2.11 MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Labelling and Numbering
This design standard covers labelling and numbering requirements for zone and terminal substations, including: the naming of substations and the equipment within; the standard numbering of the substation bays and equipment; how to apply the numbering within brownfield substations; labelling of equipment within the switchyard; labelling and numbering of secondary circuits and equipment. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 1.48 MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Layout
This design standard covers the layout of primary equipment in a yard. It applies to greenfield and brownfield sites and zone and terminal substations. It covers all current approved layout types and provides guidance on extending existing arrangements. It also provides some information on layout optimisation and how to apply the principles to develop optimised initial and ultimate layouts. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 2.21 MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Lighting Design
This design standard specifies the requirements for lighting within Western Power’s zone and terminal substations. It includes the lux levels required for different areas within the substation and states the approved lamp and fitting types to be used. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 4.64 MB
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| DS(P)-Earthworks Roads and Drainage
This design standard outlines the general requirements and design criteria for Earthworks, Roads and Drainage design. It applies to all Greenfield substations, as well as Brownfield augmentation and asset replacement work. It applies to both Terminal and Zone substations. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 3.11 MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Building Design
This design standard outlines the general requirements for various architectural and structural engineering aspects to be considered and included in the design of Switch room and Relay Room buildings. It applies to Switch room buildings accommodating the MV switchboards and Relay Room buildings accommodating protection panels and batteries in all greenfield substations, as well as new switchboards and relay panels installation in major brownfield projects. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 315 KB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Fences and Gates
This design standard outlines the technical specifications for the construction of fences and gates for Western Power Transmission Substations. It covers the material supply, fabrication, finish and construction of Welded mesh fence, Palisade fence, Masonry wall, Panel wall, Chain link fence, Boundary fence types and gates for Western Power Transmission Substations. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 326 KB
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| DS(P)-Substations Structures and Foundations
This design standard covers electrical equipment support structures and foundations which are commonly used at substations, gantries, lighting and lightning masts and substation fences and gates. It applies to all Greenfield substations, as well as Brownfield augmentation and asset replacement work. It applies to both Terminal and Zone substations. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 458 KB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Concrete
This design standard outlines the minimum requirements for the construction of concrete components for Western Power Transmission Substation projects. It applies to both ‘Greenfield’ and ‘Brownfield’ sites. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 509 KB
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| DS(P)-Substation Fences and Gates
This design standard provides minimum requirements and criteria for the design of substation fences and gates to provide physical barrier against unauthorised and/or accidental access to substations. It applies to all greenfield and brownfield augmentation work. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 327 KB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Earthworks Roads and Drainage
This design standard outlines the technical specifications for the construction of earthworks, roads and drainage for Western Power Transmission Substation projects. It applies to greenfield and brownfield sites. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 932 KB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Structural Steel Work
This design standard outlines the technical specifications for the construction of structural steelwork for Western Power Transmission Substations. This includes all steelwork construction required for equipment support structures, landing gantries and substation buildings including access stairs, ladders and steel handrails. It applies to greenfield and brownfield sites. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 708 KB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Lifting Plan Requirements
This design standard provides the technical specifications for lifting heavy loads within Western Power Transmission Substations. It includes the lifting of HV transformers, transportable buildings, (switch rooms, relay rooms), prefabricate concrete panels, gantry structures. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 559 KB
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| DS(P)-Computer Aided Design
This design standard outlines the practices that shall be followed in the preparation of all engineering drawings for Western Power. It also describes the technical requirements that shall be followed when preparing Computer Aided Design (CAD) based engineering drawings. This Design Standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 1.42 MB
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| DS(P)-Drawing Numbers and Titles
This design standard outlines the system for assigning drawing numbers and drawing titles. It includes the titles to be used on all drawings produced by Western Power and contractors for all terminal yards and zone substation transmission projects. It applies to greenfield and to some extent brownfield substations. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 1.95 MB
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| DS(P)-TS-Substation Transportable Buildings
This design standard outlines the technical specifications for the design, construction, delivery and installation of transportable switch room and relay room buildings for Western Power transmission substation projects. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal technical specification available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 366 KB
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| DS(P)-Electrical and Mechanical Interlocking
This design standard covers the mechanical and electrical interlocking requirements for different equipment types within a substation, on both greenfield and brownfield sites. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 4.17 MB
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| DS(P)-Substation Secondary System Design
This design standard covers the secondary requirements necessary to implement transmission protection systems. This design standard is complemented by Western Power's internal Engineering Design Instruction available to Contracted Accredited Service Providers.
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PDF 4.17 MB
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| DS(P)-Common Requirements for Transmission Equipment
This design standard outlines the technical specifications for all plant and equipment used in transmission substations, to be purchased for use in Western Power's Network.
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PDF 1.11 MB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Earthing Design
This design standard provides the minimum requirements for earthing design of Western Power’s transmission lines in order manage the transfer of fault energy in such a manner as to limit the risk to people, equipment, and system operation to acceptable levels.
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PDF 417 KB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Foundation Design
This design standard specifies the design requirements for Western Power high voltage overhead transmission line foundations in terms of satisfactory compliance with relevant Australian and International Standards. It applies to new transmission line constructions and when augmentation of existing transmission assets is required to meet the latest overhead transmission line design standards.
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PDF 1.60 MB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Foundation Testing
This design standard provides the testing scope for overhead transmission line foundation to comply with relevant Australian and International standards. It includes foundation testing to confirm design adequacy and justify the use of a higher strength reduction factor or to confirm structural integrity or load carrying capacity of existing footings.
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PDF 302 KB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Loadings & Support Structure Design
This design standard specifies the loading requirements for all components and the design requirements for support structures on Western Power‘s high voltage overhead transmission line system in terms of satisfactory compliance with relevant Australian and International Standards.
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PDF 615 KB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Easement and Clearance Requirements
This design standard specifies the factors affecting easement widths and its calculation. Easements on transmission lines are required for the purpose of managing activities that may lead to a
contravening of safety standards and allows protection and safe access to the network. |
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PDF 447 KB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Geotechnical Investigations
This design standard outlines the requirements and acceptable methods of geotechnical investigations to determine the foundation design and durability parameters for the transmission structures and associated earthworks.
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PDF 315KB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Electrical and Mechanical Design
This design standard specifies the key design criteria for the design of Western Power’s transmission lines. It specifies the loading, material and design (clearance, electromechanical strength and
durability) requirements for the elements of supports, conductors and insulators |
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PDF 1.03MB
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| DS (P) - Transmission Lines - Underground Cable Design
This design standard outlines the requirements and criteria for the design and installation of transmission underground cable systems in accordance with the requirements of Western Power. The information is applicable to all cable systems consisting of single core polymeric insulated cables for voltages from 66kV to 330kV.
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PDF 427KB
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| DS (P) – TS - Transmission Lines – Overhead Line and Underground Cable Survey
This design standard provides the technical specifications for surveys to facilitate the design of overhead transmission line and underground transmission cable. It categorises the survey types required for overhead transmission line and underground transmission cable design.
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PDF 608KB
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| DS(P)-Telecommunications - Design
This design standard specifies the design criteria for Telecommunications systems on Western Power’s Telecommunications Network. It covers all aspects of telecommunication design including power supply; earthing; radio path engineering; tele protection; automation; metering; site requirements; generation interconnection; environmental requirements; alarm requirements; communication networks; fibre networks; radio networks; physical security; drawing system.
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PDF 1.46 MB
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| DS(P)–TS - Telecommunications - Telecommunications Structures
This design standard provides the technical specification and design requirements for the design of telecommunications structures, which includes monopoles, self-supporting towers, and guyed masts.
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PDF 285 KB
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| DS(P)-TS -Telecommunications - Aircraft Warning Light (AWL) Systems for Telecomms Structures
This design standard provides the technical specifications and requirements to enable Western Power to comply with the regulations regarding Low and Medium Intensity Obstacle Lighting as defined in CASA Manual of Standards Part 139 2019, Chapter 9, Division 4 Obstacle Lighting.
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PDF 556 KB
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| G(P)- Telecommunications - Design Application
This guideline describes the principles of the telecommunications concept design process and describes how relevant design standards should be applied in practice to deliver telecommunication solutions.
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PDF 724 KB
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| G(P)-Protection Design Guideline
This supporting document provides protection design guidelines for protection systems used at Western Power terminal stations and zone substations. It applies to transmission and distribution circuits either within or connected between a Western Power terminal or zone substation.
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PDF 2.9 MB
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| G(P)-Automation Customer Interface Guideline
This supporting document (guideline) provides reference information for customers on Western Power Automation system. Project specific requirements shall be advised by Western Power during the design process which may supersede the requirements within this document.
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PDF 344 KB
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| T(P)-Automation Customer Interface List
This supporting document (template) provides customers with a tool to generate a generic customer interface SCADA point list based upon the AEMO and Western Power customer SCADA point standards. This template supports the Automation Customer Interface Guideline.
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XLSM 612 KB
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| P(P)-Automation Project Execution
This supporting document (automation procedure) provides an overview of the process for the execution of automation projects on Western Power's network. It includes; design; materials; construction; configuration; commissioning; and project finalisation phases of the project lifecycle.
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PDF 465 KB
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FAQs
To connect a generator or load to the Western Power transmission network, you must adhere to the technical requirements outlined in our comprehensive suite of transmission network functional requirements documentation.
The key document governing connection requirements is the "Customer Connection Requirements Standard." This standard specifies the functional requirements that both Western Power and customers must meet when establishing a new transmission connection.
However, the Customer Connection Requirements Standard should not be reviewed in isolation. It must be read in conjunction with the relevant Western Power Functional Requirements Standards, as well as any applicable laws, regulations, codes, and industry standards. This holistic approach ensures that all generic and project-specific contexts are properly identified and addressed.
Our functional requirements documentation covers various critical aspects, such as:
- Grid connection and performance criteria
- Protection and control requirements
- Communication and monitoring specifications
- Testing and commissioning protocols
- Ongoing compliance and maintenance obligations
By carefully reviewing and adhering to these standards, you can ensure that your connection to our transmission network meets the necessary technical, safety, and operational requirements, facilitating a smooth and reliable integration process.
At Western Power, we understand the growing demand for renewable energy sources and the need for large-scale electrification. To support this transition, we anticipate unprecedented growth in our transmission network over the next decade and beyond, involving the use of new technologies and processes.
The extent and speed of this transmission expansion are yet to be determined, but it will undoubtedly drive significant economic growth in the region by enabling future infrastructure development, creating employment opportunities, and fostering broader regional growth across the state.
To assist our major customers and their consultants in making informed decisions early in the project lifecycle, we have made our transmission technical standards and supporting documents publicly available. These documents outline the requirements and criteria for planning and designing transmission networks.
By providing external transparency and access to these standards, we aim to enable our customers to plan their projects effectively and facilitate a smoother transition to renewable energy sources.
Transmission network technical standards play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability, safety, and efficiency of our energy transmission infrastructure. Adhering to these standards is essential for several reasons:
- Consistency and Interoperability: Technical standards establish uniform requirements for transmission equipment, design, and processes. This consistency ensures seamless integration and interoperability between different components of the transmission network, preventing compatibility issues and potential failures.
- Reliability and Reduced Downtime: By following industry-accepted standards, we can minimize the risk of equipment malfunctions, breakdowns, and unplanned outages. Standardized design, materials, and testing procedures help ensure the transmission network operates reliably, reducing costly downtime and service disruptions.
- Safety and Risk Mitigation: Technical standards prioritize the safety of personnel, equipment, and the public. They incorporate best practices for hazard mitigation, electrical safety, and environmental protection, minimizing the risk of accidents and minimizing potential liabilities.
- Efficient Energy Transmission: Standardized practices and specifications optimize the transmission network's performance, enabling efficient and consistent energy delivery to our customers. This consistency helps maintain power quality and minimizes energy losses during transmission.
At Western Power, we understand the critical role these technical standards play in maintaining a robust, dependable, and safe transmission network. By adhering to these standards, we can provide our customers with reliable and uninterrupted energy services, while ensuring the longevity and integrity of our infrastructure investments.
No, the transmission technical standards are not intended for developing detailed transmission designs. These standards serve as a guide to assist you in planning your projects and understanding Western Power's obligations and requirements for planning and designing transmission networks.
If you need to progress your project to the detailed design phase, we recommend engaging one of our Accredited Service Providers (ASPs). These ASPs have access to additional engineering design instructions, processes, and site-specific information necessary for completing comprehensive transmission designs.
The transmission technical standards provide an overview of our requirements, but our ASPs possess the specialized knowledge and resources to translate those standards into detailed, project-specific designs that meet all necessary specifications.
We encourage you to involve our ASPs early in the process to ensure your project aligns with our technical standards and design guidelines from the outset, facilitating a smoother and more efficient design and implementation process.
To ensure your project aligns with our transmission technical standards from the outset, we recommend taking the following steps:
- Review the standards early: Familiarize yourself with the standards and supporting documents as early as possible in your project lifecycle. This will help you identify and understand the specific requirements that apply to your project.
- Collaborate with experts: Work closely with your engineering team, consultants, and Western Power's accredited service providers. Their expertise will be invaluable in interpreting the standards and ensuring your project design complies with all necessary requirements.
- Consider project impacts: Carefully assess how incorporating these standards may impact your project's costs, timelines, and overall feasibility. Our accredited service providers can provide guidance on optimizing your project while adhering to the standards.
By involving the necessary stakeholders and addressing the standards early on, you can proactively plan for and mitigate potential challenges, ensuring a smoother and more efficient project implementation process.