Irrigator electricity security of supply, reliability and pricing

We initiated a consultation process with irrigation customers about options for future electricity security of supply, reliability and pricing in December 2004. Irrigation customers were given the opportunity to choose the level of reliability they would like: a more reliable electricity network at an increased cost or a less reliable electricity network at a lower cost. The irrigators chose the latter.

Irrigation interruptibility price rebate scheme

As a result of consultation with irrigation customers, we opted to continue our irrigation 'interruptibility' price rebate scheme. This scheme offers a rebate to those irrigation customers who are prepared to accept occasional interruptions to their power supply in the event of an emergency.

The maximum number of power cuts an irrigator can expect under the scheme is one every five years of up to eight hours and one every ten years of up to 48 hours. These power cuts are only expected to occur in the event of an emergency (e.g. a fault on our network caused by a car hitting a pole, a fault in a transformer or severe weather).

We now plan our network on the basis that these emergency cuts are acceptable to irrigators. We will invest less in the rural network as a result, but prices to irrigators will also be lower.

More information

If you want to know more about this consultation and the 'interruptibility' price rebate scheme, please call our Energy Projects Manager, Stephen Godfrey, on 03 3639862 or email Stephen.