Australian Electricty Network Operators Memorandum of Understanding on Significant Event Response
- The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is entered into by the operator of an electricty distribution and/ or transmission network.
- The MoU seeks to enable the easy deployment of resources between two parties in the event of a natural disatster or similar emergency.
- The MoU sets out non legally binding parameters to enable reponse workers to get on with the job of responding to the significant event
Energy Networks Australia endeavours to regularly pursue important research and development projects for the benefit of the energy network industry.
To service the future needs of the energy network industry, particularly given the scale of industry transformation unfolding, Energy Networks Australia has developed a more coordinated approach to traditional industry research, development and innovation, known as the Australian Strategic Technology Program.
Innovation in the Electricity Network Sector
The energy grid is an integrated dynamic system, delivering electricity and gas to virtually every home and business in Australia.
Energy networks are leading the transformation of the grid into a platform for new products and services – rapidly connecting new technologies, while delivering safe, reliable and affordable supply across the community.
This is underpinned by a range of standards and asset management expertise that assist networks in providing more than 16 million electricity and gas connections to customers across the country.
At the same time, energy networks are looking to the future – investing in research and development, partnering with leaders in innovation and technology and developing effective technical solutions to the challenges of integrating new technology that complements existing infrastructure.
Australian Strategic Technology Program
Energy Networks Australia’s primary coordinated approach to traditional industry research, development and innovation is known as the Australian Strategic Technology Program (ASTP).
The ASTP primarily provides funding for university research projects which have the potential to bring about improvements in asset management and network performance for electricity utilities, as well as exploring “non-network” solutions, and is a collaboration between Energy Networks Australia and the Australian Power Institute.
Energy Networks Australia and Communications Alliance Memorandum of Understanding
Following the draft recommendation released in mid 2020, Energy Networks Australia and the Communications Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help further improve collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two sectors to better respond to emergency situations.
The MOU sets out to achieve the following objectives:
- improve the safety of communities by mitigating the risks of being isolated due to telecommunications and/or power outages during emergencies;
- improve the sustainability of both telecommunications and power supply services to communities affected by emergencies to support their recovery; and
- targets effective collaboration between telecommunications and electricity networks and coordination of infrastructure in preparing for and responding to emergencies at a local, regional and state level.