Results of Electricity review due in July

Work continues on the full review of electricity infrastructure, tariff structures and rebate levels, with a final report expected to be presented to the July Council meeting.

Lead Administrator Scott Mason said the review will be a highly useful tool in meeting the challenges presented by a budget with $4.2M deficit.

“We have finite resources and endless opportunities to apply those resources. So many assets need attention and prioritising our resources to where they need to go can sometimes appear difficult, particularly when talking about life sustaining services such as electricity,” Mr Mason said.

The tariff component of the electricity review is being carried out by an independent consultancy firm Qubist, whose two representatives, Chris Amos and Petra Quartullo, recently visited the island to meet with key electricity stakeholders from across the island. They also met with all community members who wanted to share their views and experiences of all aspects of the electricity service.

As part of the review, Chris and Petra spoke with electrical contractors and solar suppliers, relevant staff, solar and battery owners to help build a full picture of the production and supply of electricity on Norfolk.

While Qubist has completed the engagement with stakeholders, work is now being finalised on the assessment of the current tariff structure. The report will include their recommendation for potential changes that would improve any of the processes involved in the production, provision and billing of electricity, including customer satisfaction and service.

NIRC also engaged GHD to look closely at critical electrical infrastructure on-island. This includes Low Voltage and Medium Voltage Switchboard at the powerhouse, as well as transformers, which are all nearing end of life. This work has been factored into the NIRC capital program for the coming 3 years.

Updates about the review will be shared with the community and a report will be presented to a future Council meeting.