Joint Development Programme

Energy and reserves dispatch is governed by the market rules of dispatch. This same level of governance does not apply to voltage dispatch.

Additional automation (closer to 80 %) of dispatch and voltage management to enable efficiency gains and improve the consistency of voltage management. 

Improved quality of dispatch by introducing a consistent approach.

Upgrade the SCADA/EMS system with supporting hardware and software infrastructure to ensure ongoing vendor support..

The SCADA/EMS system is the primary tool for operating the transmission network. It also provides critical feeds to the Market System and live data to distribution companies. Although the SCADA/EMS system operates largely in an isolated environment, its susceptibility to cyber security vulnerabilities will grow as the vendor no longer provides security patches. It is therefore prudent to upgrade critical systems to current, vendor-supported versions better designed to manage those threats.

No direct market participant impact.

Replacement of current standalone situational awareness tool to integrated Situational Intelligence capability.

The operation of the power system holds future complexities that will require new capabilities of our systems and users.

No direct market participant impact.

This suite of projects is focused on building power system engineering capability to monitor transient (real time) voltage security.

Delivery of capabilities to enable Transpower to continue to effectively manage a tighter, more constrained, and more complex grid.

No direct market participant impact.

Replacement of various externally facing information exchange platforms such as ACS (Asset Capability Statements) and POCP (Planned Outage Coordination Process), which are reaching end of life.

These information exchange platforms allow the System Operator and market participants to meet there Code obligations. Therefore it is critical that they continue to provide a suitable level of service.

This project will amalgamate several separate platforms onto a single platform. In doing so this will enhance the user experience, insure a single source of truth and allow the System Operator over time to enable workflows and assurance reporting to the benefit of all users.

Currently Transpower uses a load forecast tool that is embedded in the market system. This programme of work seeks to enable Transpower to import load forecast information from an external supplier, while retaining the current tool as a backup if needed.  

This project will enable Transpower to access a global pool of specialist load forecast information. This will provide improved forecasts, allow us to gain insight from overseas, and enable flexibility in a future that is expected to change rapidly as distributed energy resources change the way electricity is consumed.

It is expected this will lead to an enduring improvement to the load forecast used in the market schedules published on WITS.

Provide systems and interfaces to share network and power flow models with distribution companies.

We know that as the power system becomes more distributed in nature and complex in operation it will be important that the right information is being shared backwards and forwards between the System Operator and Distributors.

Upgrade ACS to capture data to support management of the power system in the future - when battery storage and EV's have a significant impact on the power system.

This initiative follows on from other System Operator initiatives, and seeks to determine what will be needed in order to maintain safe and secure power system services as the prevalence of battery storage and EV’s increases, and eventually requires management of injection and offtake.

This work will enable the System Operator and Distributors to maintain system security.