WESTERN
POWER — SUPPLY ALLOCATION
1015. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Energy:
I
refer to Western Power's wholly inadequate media release of 19 October
2022 announcing a trial to increase supply allocation in parts of the
south west and wheatbelt regions between now and 31 March 2023, which states —
Homes and businesses in the Shires of
Boyup Brook, Bridgetown–Greenbushes, Collie, Donnybrook–Balingup,
Nannup, West Arthur and Williams will be able to install a main switch circuit
breaker of equal rating to those required in urban areas—63 Amp.
(1) Why have 90 per cent of regional shires been
excluded from this trial, rendering them exposed to amperage reductions
to 32 amps if they make any electrical changes or upgrades to their residences
or businesses?
(2) How many
homes and businesses in the trial area currently have main switch circuit
breakers that restrict them to 32 amps?
(3) Given that nearly every residence and business
currently has main switch circuit breakers well above 32 amps, despite the government's rules,
which it started to enforce only in February 2022, can the minister
confirm that his trial will in effect allow most of those home and business
owners to simply keep their existing higher amperage main switch circuit
breakers in place?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following answer is based on information provided to me by
the Minister for Energy.
(1) Western Power
selected the trial area, covering approximately 13 800 homes and businesses,
based on a number of technical factors. It is a representative sample of a diverse
range of rural customers with different energy needs and includes equipment
useful for pilot program purposes. A number of regional shires are considered
large regional areas and already have a standard single-phase supply allocation
of 63 amps.
(2) In the trial area, Western
Power is aware of 45 sites that have installed 32-amp circuit breakers.
(3) The rural supply allocation of 32 amps has not
changed. The only change is the August 2021 update of the Western Australian
service and installation requirements. This states that any major
alterations, including the addition of new circuits, require a main switch
circuit breaker—a safety switch—set to the allocated supply of
the site or any limiting components within the installation. This follows
trends set by the Australian Industry Standards best practice.