Final Project Assesment Report – Summary
Regulatory Investment Test – Distribution – May 2025
AusNet initiated this Regulatory Investment Test for Distribution (RIT-D) to investigate and evaluate options to address the constraints in the MWTS South sub-transmission network which are restricting new renewable generation connections.
The Options Screening Report (OSR), which represents the first step in the RIT-D process in accordance with clause 5.17 of the National Electricity Rules (NER) and section 4.2 of the RIT-D Application Guidelines was published in January 2024. Two non-network proposals were received during the RIT-D OSR consultation phase. The Draft Project Assessment Report (DPAR), the second stage of the RIT-D process, was published in October 2024 providing information about the draft conclusions of the RIT-D. No submissions were received during the RIT-D DPAR consultation phase.
This report, the Final Project Assessment Report (FPAR) is the final stage of the RIT-D consultation process, which confirms the findings in the DPAR
The preferred solution is to augment the MWTS – LGA No.2 and No.3 66kV lines with 37/3.75 All Aluminium conductor to increase the overall summer rating of MWTS – LGA to 236 MVA. The estimated capital cost of the preferred option is $105.8 million (nominal).
In accordance with clause 5.17.5(c) of the NER, within 30 days of the date of publication of this FPAR, any party disputing the conclusion made in this FPAR should give notice of the dispute in writing setting out the grounds for the dispute (the dispute notice) to the AER with a copy of the dispute notice to AusNet. If there are no dispute notices within 30 days of the date of publication of this FPAR, AusNet expects to implement the preferred option subjected to AER’s EDPR (Electricity Distribution Price Review) draft decision and AusNet’s internal approvals.