Changing interaction between asset renewal and planning in Australia and New Zealand

摘要

The paper explores changes to asset management practices employed in Australia and New Zealand in response to significant changes in the transmission network planning environments of these two countries. Both Australia and New Zealand are experiencing slower demand growth since 2008. The need for major transmission network augmentation has shrunk for most parts of the transmission network. In light of the substantial slowdown in demand growth, there is an increased focus on using a condition-based risk management approach to defer asset replacement where it is economic. These changes have resulted in more emphasis being placed on asset replacement rather than increasing transmission capacity. In Australia and New Zealand, it is estimated that 75%-85% of capital expenditure in network infrastructure will go towards replacing aging assets over the next 20 years. The paper summarises the current approaches being taken to integrated transmission planning in different parts of Australia and New Zealand and presents a view on how integrated transmission planning might evolve in the future. In this context integrated planning refers to developing solutions that accommodate uncertainty in future network utilisation, address the risks associated with aging plant and equipment, and adequately consider network and non-network options.