Site selection

Integral Energy designs and plans its electrical network consistent within well established technical, regulatory and operational principles to deliver a safe, secure and reliable supply to customers:

 

• Technical - zone substations are sited as close as possible to the electrical load centre to optimise the efficiency of the network by minimising distribution feeder distances, costs and electrical losses over the life of the zone substation;
• Regulatory – zone substations must comply with NSW distribution licence conditions and the Regulatory Test for Network Augmentations established under the National Electricity Code;
• Operational - zone substations are established as part of an interconnected network to supply customers within their supply area and to support adjoining zone substations when the electricity network is under stress. In the suburban areas of western Sydney, zone substations are ideally established between 2.5 to 3 kilometres from each other.

 

The substation needs to be built on a site of approximately 3000m².

 

Integral Energy commenced investigations to find a suitable site for the new Granville Zone Substation in September 2003 and assessed properties within reasonable proximity of the forecast centre of electrical load that would support development of the network in the broader Parramatta region (see map).

 

Eight sites were considered in detail including land owned by Integral Energy, the South Western Sydney Institute of Technical and Further Education and the Parramatta City Council, as well as land available for sale on the open market.

 

Integral Energy settled on a site in Elizabeth Street in July 2005 as it provided the best balance of safety, social, environmental, economic and technical considerations to meet the future needs of customers in Granville and the broader Parramatta region.

 

Map of Granville load centre and sites