Demand Side Participation Winter Pilot Successful

Media release

30 November 2007

Demand Side Participation Winter Pilot Successful

A new means of saving electricity during peak usage times has been successfully trialled by Transpower in the South Island.

Transpower today released its final report on its Demand Side Participation (DSP) trial held during winter 2007 in the upper South Island. The report indicates that the trial was successful in managing electricity demand during peak periods.

Over July and August of this year, Transpower had been trialling the use of Demand Side Participation as a potential tool to defer future transmission investment in the National Grid.

Five companies acting as ‘aggregators’ provided a total of 14.2 MW for the pilot. This was achieved through each aggregator contracting with large industrial users or owners of small generation plant to shed load or generate electricity respectively when needed.

The report confirmed that for the whole pilot, providers delivered an average of 68% of the DSP called for by Transpower.

Transpower’s General Manager Grid Investment Tim George said that the real benefit from the trial has been the insights into how to use DSP effectively.

“This is the first time in New Zealand that DSP has been used in this way, so we have learnt a great deal from seeing it work in practice. Throughout the trial there were a number of issues that became apparent and they will require further work.”

Learning and experience from the trial will be used to shape the larger, more commercial trial next year. A Grid Support Contract which formalises the contractual arrangements for activities like DSP is intended to be released for public consultation within the next two months.

A copy of the DSP report is available from www.gridnewzealand.co.nz.

ENDS

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