HORIZON POWER —
GRID-CONNECTED SOLAR APPLICATIONS — BROOME
855. Hon KEN BASTON to the minister representing the Minister
for Energy:
(1) Can the
minister confirm that Horizon Power is no longer accepting applications for new
grid-connected solar power connections to the Broome electricity grid?
(2) In the latest
release of grid-connected solar power spaces on the Broome electricity grid,
how many residential connections were permitted and what portion of the space
available was given to clients on the A2 tariff, K2 tariff, L2 tariff and L4
tariff?
(3) Which
communities in the Mining and Pastoral Region that are serviced by Horizon
Power are currently able to accept new grid-connected solar applications?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
I am not being difficult, but did
the honourable member say K2, L4, L2 and A2?
Hon Ken Baston: A2, K2, L2
and L4.
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON: Okay,
they are in a different order in the question I have, but I just want to make
sure that we have the right numbers.
The following information has been
provided to me by the Minister for Energy.
(1) Yes. Hosting
capacity limits have been in place on Horizon Power's networks for many
years. Hosting capacity limits are carefully calculated by Horizon Power and
reflect the level of renewable energy that can safely connect to the grid
without compromising the reliability of supply to the entire network. These
limits differ from town to town for many technical reasons, including the
existing energy needs of the town and the amount of renewable energy already
connected to the system.
(2) There was no
capacity allocation against tariff types. A total of 1 516 kilowatts of
renewable energy capacity was released in Broome.
(3) Horizon Power
can currently accept new grid-connected solar applications from these
communities in the Mining and Pastoral
Region—in the Kimberley, Ardyaloon, Beagle Bay, Bidyadanga, Camballin–Looma,
Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Djarindjin–Lombadina,
Halls Creek, Kalumburu, Warmun, Kununurra, Lake Argyle, Wyndham and
Wiluna; in the Pilbara, Onslow, Roebourne, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Karratha,
Cossack and Point Samson; in the midwest, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Meekatharra,
Gascoyne Junction, Mt Magnet and Wiluna; and in goldfields–Esperance,
Laverton, Leonora and Norseman.