Network Planning

Meridian, as the owner and operator of the Mt Mercer Wind Farm (Mt Mercer), is well aware of the potential constraints and inefficient generation dispatch scenarios that would impact existing and new generation without significant augmentation across the western Victorian transmission system. [...] The PSCR clearly sets out the options under review and highlights several of the key issues to be assessed in considering the options presented. [...] Meridian would like to draw AEMO’s attention to the following matters: • Significant investment has been made by a range of private and public stakeholders across the NEM and it remains paramount that those investments continue to operate in the manner for which they were intended. [...] Meridian would be happy to assist AEMO in assessing the benefits of each of the options outlined in the PSCR and in particular, the benefits associated with minimizing constraints on existing and new generation. [...] For example, we do not believe the Heywood Interconnector RiT- T was ultimately an accurate forecast of costs and benefits as it failed to factor in a range of issues including excessively high FCAS prices during outages and the limitations of benefits from the requirement to impose significant system security constraints on use of the line.