Annual Report of the Technical Regulator Electricity 2014-15
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Annual Report of the Technical Regulator Electricity 2014-15 i Report of the Technical Regulator This is the annual report of the Technical Regulator under the Electricity Act 1996 and the Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000 (the Acts). It describes the operations of the Technical Regulator for the financial year 2014-15 as required by sections 14 and 25 of the Acts respectively. These sections require the Minister to cause a copy of the report to be laid before both houses of Parliament. The Technical Regulator is a statutory office established by Section 7 of the Electricity Act 1996. Robert Faunt has held this office since he was appointed as the Technical Regulator on 28 February 2003. Technical Regulator: Robert Faunt Address: Level 8, ANZ Building 11 Waymouth Street Adelaide 5000 Postal Address: GPO Box 320 Adelaide SA 5001 Telephone: (08) 8226 5500 Facsimile: (08) 8226 5529 Office Hours: 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays) Website: www.sa.gov.au/otr Email: [email protected] ISSN: 1832-8687 Front Cover Photos: Top: Vegetation clearance, courtesy of SA Power Networks Middle: OTR engineer auditing an electricity generation facility Bottom: Wind turbines at the Clements Gap wind farm Inside Photos: Quarantine Power Station (page 8), courtesy of Origin Energy Asset maintenance (page 12), courtesy of SA Power Networks Damaged infrastructure (page 14), courtesy of SA Power Networks Note: All photographs in this report have been used with the permission of the relevant provider. Annual Report of the Technical Regulator Electricity 2013-14 i Preface This report covers the Technical Regulator’s operations under the Electricity Act 1996 and the Technical Regulator’s administration of the Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000 for the financial year ending 30 June 2015. Electricity Act 1996 Section 3 of the Electricity Act 1996 states that: “The objects of this Act are— (a) to promote efficiency and competition in the electricity supply industry; and (b) to promote the establishment and maintenance of a safe and efficient system of electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply; and (c) to establish and enforce proper standards of safety, reliability and quality in the electricity supply industry; and (d) to establish and enforce proper safety and technical standards for electrical installations; and (e) to protect the interests of consumers of electricity.” Section 8 of the Act states that: “The Technical Regulator has the following functions: (a) the monitoring and regulation of safety and technical standards in the electricity supply industry; and (b) the monitoring and regulation of safety and technical standards with respect to electrical installations; and (c) the administration of the provisions of this Act relating to the clearance of vegetation from powerlines; and (ca) the monitoring and investigation of major interruptions to the electricity supply in the State and the provision of reports relating to such interruptions in accordance with any requirements prescribed by the regulations; and (d) any other functions prescribed by regulation or assigned to the Technical Regulator by or under this or any other Act.” Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000 The Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000 makes provisions relating to the safety, performance, energy efficiency and labelling of products powered by electricity, gas or some other energy source. ii Content Report of the Technical Regulator i Preface ii Content iii Technical Regulator’s Commentary 1 The Office of the Technical Regulator 3 Section 1: Electrical Infrastructure 4 1.1. Electricity Supply 4 1.1.1. Purpose of the SRMTMP 4 1.1.2. Audits of Compliance 4 1.2. Audits by the Technical Regulator 4 1.2.1. SA Power Networks 5 1.2.2. ElectraNet 7 1.3. Ensuring Safety within the Electricity Supply Industry 7 1.4. Major Generators 8 1.5. Wind Generation 9 1.6. Transmission 9 1.6.1. ElectraNet’s Key Performance Indicators 10 1.6.2. Murraylink Transmission Company 10 1.7. Distribution 10 1.7.1. SA Power Networks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 12 1.8. Emergency Management 13 Section 2: Safety Clearances to Powerlines 14 2.1. Vegetation Clearance 14 2.1.1. Risks associated with Vegetation near Powerlines 14 2.1.2. Vegetation Clearance Objections 15 2.1.3. Vegetation Clearance Agreements 15 2.1.4. Exemption to Planting Restrictions 15 2.2. Building and Working Clearances 16 2.2.1. Risks associated with Buildings near Powerlines 16 2.2.2. Building Clearance Approvals 16 2.2.3. Equipment contacting overhead powerlines 18 Section 3: Electrical Installations 19 3.1. Targeted Audits 19 3.2. Major Events 21 3.3. Major Incidents/Investigations 21 3.3.1. Electrical accidents 21 3.3.2. Electrical fires 22 3.4. Shock Reports 22 iii 3.5. Disciplinary action 23 3.5.1. Prosecutions 23 3.5.2. Expiations 23 3.5.3. Referral to the Office of Consumer and Business Services (CBS) 23 3.6. Communication and Education 23 3.6.1. ‘Roadshows’ and other Presentations 23 3.6.2. Displays and Trade Functions 24 3.6.3. Regulation Roundup 24 3.6.4. Technical Standards Committees 25 3.7. Electrical Installation Work Indicators 25 Section 4: Electrical Products 26 4.1. Role of the Technical Regulator 26 4.2. Product Safety 27 4.2.1. Product Approval 27 4.2.2. Product Approval Safety Process 27 4.2.3. Risks due to faulty or misused Products 28 4.2.4. Product Failures and Corrective Actions 30 4.2.5. Recall Notices 31 4.2.6. Stop Sales 31 4.2.7. Mutual Recognition 31 4.3. Product Energy Efficiency 32 4.4. Performance Indicators 32 4.4.1. Product Enquiries 32 4.4.2. Approval Figures for 2014-15 33 4.4.3. Actions on Products for 2014-15 33 4.4.4. Industry Communication 35 Section 5: Consumer Safety Awareness 36 5.1. Consumer Education 36 5.1.1. Increasing Consumer Awareness 36 5.1.2. Continuous Safety Promotion 36 5.1.3. Technical Regulator Website 36 5.2. Electrical Safety Survey 38 5.2.1. Objectives 38 5.2.2. Sample 38 5.2.3. Key Outcomes 38 Section 6: Regulatory Coordination 40 6.1. Electrical Technical Advisory Committee (ETAC) 40 6.2. Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC) 40 6.3. Energy Industry Ombudsman 42 Appendix 1: Operating Statement 43 Appendix 2: Personal Injury 45 Appendix 3: Legislative Framework 46 Appendix 4: Risks associated with the electricity industry and the activities of the Technical Regulator 51 iv Appendix 5: Products 52 Appendix 6: Generators 54 Appendix 7: Transmission 57 Appendix 8: Distribution 59 Appendix 9: Glossary and Abbreviations 61 v Technical Regulator’s Commentary The major issues that arose from the Technical Regulator’s operations and administration in 2014-15 were: Electrical Safety Performance and Fatalities Unfortunately two electrocutions occurred in South Australia during the past financial year. In one instance a retired fitter and turner made contact with a disconnected cable of a homemade work light. The second fatality involved a retired electrician who made contact with a test lead while repairing electric motors at home. The Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) expresses condolences to the loved ones of these unfortunate men. Such tragic events re-emphasize the need for proper work procedures and methods, and an appropriate risk assessment when undertaking all work associated with electricity. They also confirm the on-going need for education and promotion of electrical safety within the industry and the general public. To achieve the objectives of increasing safety in the electrical industry, the Technical Regulator monitors and regulates the electricity trades by auditing electrical workers, contractors and electrical installations. Audits are carried out on targeted areas of the electrical industry where specific issues have been identified in relation to non-compliance with electrical standards. Building and Vegetation Clearances from Powerlines Despite rigorous administrative processes to ensure that people are aware of safety distances between buildings and powerlines the Technical Regulator continues to see examples of non-compliant buildings and worksites which often require costly rectification. In 2014-15 the Technical Regulator successfully managed two such cases in cooperation with all involved to achieve safe and acceptable outcomes. The Technical Regulator also administers the legislative requirements to maintain clearance distances between powerlines and vegetation, and monitors the network operators’ compliance with these requirements. The intention of these prescribed distances is to minimise the risk of catastrophic bushfires being started by powerlines. Electrical Products Regulation Electrical products that are either manufactured in or imported into South Australia require approval prior to sale. The Technical Regulator also monitors these products after sale, through field audits and product investigations, based on reported failures. The Technical Regulator is represented on national regulatory and standards committees to assist regulators to act in a coordinated manner throughout Australia, and the Safety standards impose a common and acceptable level of safety. Communication and Education The Technical Regulator, in conjunction with the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) and SA Power Networks, conducted a series of safety seminars throughout the State. The seminars give the opportunity for interaction between the industry and the Technical Regulator. This year 76 presentations were delivered to various industry groups. The Technical Regulator also provides a range of other educational material, such as a biennial industry newsletter, various safety brochures and information provided on the Technical Regulator website. Page 1 of 65 Summary The Technical Regulator continued to perform functions well during the 2014-15 financial year. Analysis of resource efficiency indicates that the office is making good use of available resources. All requirements of the legislation assigned to the Technical Regulator have been addressed throughout the year within the resources allocated for this purpose.