Powerlink Queensland

Powerlink Queensland
Government-owned corporation
Industry Energy
Predecessor Queensland Electricity Commission
Headquarters 33 Harold Street, Virginia, Brisbane, Australia
Area served
 Queensland
Key people
  • Merryn York CEO
  • Dr.Julie Beeby Chairman
Services Electricity transmission
$477.1m (2014/15)
$156.0m (2014/15)[1]
Owner Government of Queensland
Website Official website

Powerlink Queensland (formally Queensland Electricity Transmission Corporation Limited) is an electricity transmission system operator owned by the Government of Queensland which operates the high-voltage electricity transmission infrastructure in Queensland.

History

Powerlink Queensland was created in 1995 after the corporatisation and restructure of the vertically integrated Queensland power industry.[2] It was established under the Government Owned Corporation Act 1993 and is a registered public company under the Corporations Act 2001.

Operations

Powerlink is a transmission network service provider within the National Electricity Market (NEM). It does not buy or sell electricity; instead it transports it between participants within the NEM. Powerlink is a regulated monopoly business, with revenues set by the Australian Energy Regulator.[3]

The transmission network, operated by Powerlink Queensland, extends 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi) from north of Cairns to the New South Wales border, and comprises 15,000 kilometres (9,300 mi) of transmission lines and 135 substations.[1] It's network connects to New South Wales via the Queensland – New South Wales Interconnector (QNI). It also has a DC connection to NSW via the smaller Terranora interconnector. Powerlink is a member of Grid Australia which represents the owners of Australia's electricity transmission networks in the National Electricity Market and Western Australia.[4] It has been appointed by the Queensland State Government as the jurisdictional planning body for Queensland to assess the capability of Queensland's transmission network to meet forecast electricity load growth.[3]

Powerlink has adopted live high voltage substation maintenance practices[5] on voltages up to 330&kV and is currently the only transmission utility in Australia to use these techniques.[6] Its laboratory provides specialist testing and diagnostic services.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Powerlink Annual Report 2014/15 (Report). Brisbane, Australia: Powerlink Queensland. 2015. p. 1.
  2. ↑ "Powerlink Queensland". Transmission & Distribution World. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 "The National Electricity Market". Powerlink Queensland. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "The National Electricity Market". Grid Australia. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Technology". Powerlink Annual Report 2001/02 (Report). Brisbane, Australia: Powerlink Queensland. 2002. p. 28.
  6. ↑ "'Live' substation work completed at Calvale and Stanwell substations" (Press release). Powerlink Queensland. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Oil and insulation testing". Powerlink Queensland. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

External links

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