Procurement
AusNet Services Group awarded contract to deliver Western Victoria Transmission Network Project
AEMO is pleased to announce that, following a multi-stage, competitive tender process, AEMO has selected Mondo, the commercial division of the AusNet Services Group (AusNet Services), to plan, design, construct, own, operate and maintain the contestable transmission augmentations contemplated by the Project Assessment Conclusion Report (PACR) for the Western Victorian Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T).
The Western Victorian RIT-T PACR was published in July 2019. It outlined strategic investment to unlock future power system capabilities in the state by reducing the most urgent network congestion in the region and supporting additional generation connections in Western Victoria. This will expand the diversity and availability of energy supply and help to protect consumers from paying more than necessary for their electricity in the long term.
The preferred investment set out in the PACR will now be progressed through the Western Victorian Transmission Project (Project) and includes a combination of minor upgrades to existing infrastructure and major transmission works – including a new North Ballarat terminal station and long-distance high voltage transmission lines between Bulgana and Sydenham terminal stations – staged over several years, with the final component expected to be in operation by 2025.
AusNet Services will also construct, own, operate and maintain the majority of the non-contestable assets required for the Project, comprising primarily of interface and associated network changes to support the new contestable assets. Australian Energy Operations (AEO) will also undertake important upgrade works to support the Project at its Elaine and Ararat terminal stations.
Invitation to Tender (ITT)
AEMO is currently running a multi-stage, competitive tender process to appoint a preferred party/parties to construct, own and operate the proposed contestable transmission augmentations justified by the Western Victoria Renewable Integration Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T). AEMO issued a Call for Expressions of Interest (see information below) in late February 2019 to assess market interest and capabilities and identify and pre-register organisations deemed eligible to participate in the subsequent Invitation to Tender.
More information will be made available in the coming months including announcements on contracts awarded for the design, construction, ownership and operation of the new infrastructure.
Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI)
In accordance with the National Electricity Law and National Electricity Rules, AEMO issued a Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) from persons who may be interested in constructing, owning and operating the proposed contestable transmission augmentations (or any one or more of them).
The purpose of this CEI is to assess interest and capabilities within the market to respond to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) to be the proponent either for the project as a whole, or in part.
Responses to this CEI closed on Wednesday, 20 February 2019.
For more information, please see the CEI in full available below.
Addendums
- Addendum 1 (451 KB, pdf)