WESTERN POWER — SUPPLY ALLOCATION
1025. 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.
(1) Will the government fund the cost for those power
users who have already had their amperage downgraded in the trial areas
to be upgraded to their previous levels?
(2) Is this new trial simply allowing energy users in
the trial area to keep their current service levels if they alter their
electrical circuits while all other regional consumers outside the trial area
will have theirs downgraded?
(3) Will the
minister end this costly, discriminatory farce by providing a real solution to
regional power discrimination in households and businesses?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. I provide the following answer based on information provided
to me by the Minister for Energy.
(1) Western Power
is developing a procedure to upgrade affected trial-area customers from a 32-amp
circuit breaker at its cost.
(2) No. The trial is piloting an increase to supply
allocations to ensure that service levels will not be negatively
impacted when customers exceed the standard supply allocation without having
applied for an upgrade. As the standard supply allocation has not been reviewed
since the 1950s and 60s, it is imperative for the safety and security of the
network that a thorough review is undertaken, including a trial period.
(3) The desktop
review found that standardised network design and the deployment of new
technology, such as advanced metering infrastructure, can provide an
opportunity to further build on the McGowan government's commitment to
provide reliable and affordable power to all Western Australians regardless of
where they live. It is important that this finding is tested in practice to
identify any areas where further network investment may be needed ensuring that
changes are managed in a safe and reliable way. After the pilot is completed on
31 March 2023, the results will be reviewed and recommendations made with
respect to increasing the standard supply allocation across the entire south
west interconnected system.
(4) Not
applicable.