Our Heritage Developing The No. 1 The story of electricity supply and transmission in South Australia South Australia Converter From its very inception, the electricity supply network in South Australia has been helping our State develop and grow. In its early days, the advent of Station electricity supply rapidly improved the quality of life of South Australians and as the State matured, the transmission network’s increasing reach opened up new industries and opportunity. Today, our modern transmission network continues to support the people of South Australia by providing safe, affordable and reliable solutions to power homes, businesses and the economy.

The building that hosts ElectraNet’s corporate headquarters in East Terrace was built in 1908 and originally used as an electrical converter station for Adelaide’s Municipal Tramways Trust.

Architects English and Soward The building was purchased by designed the building, and many ETSA in 1963 and used as a others in Adelaide’s East End, storage facility before being partially in a Romanesque Revival style, converted to office space in 1984. characterised by the high arched The building has since been further windows. renovated by ElectraNet to provide The converter station originally modern office accommodation, housed five 500 kW transformers while preserving much of its original which provided 600 V of power to character. Adelaide’s new electric tramcars.

The official opening of the first Top image: The No. 1 Converter Station site electric tramcar route to Kensington was chosen to capitalise on the Adelaide was on 9 March 1909 with other Electric Supply Company’s nearby Grenfell lines progressively energised Street powerhouse. when a new power station at Centre image: Before the introduction of Port Adelaide was completed two electric traction engine trams the Municipal Tramways Trust had 163 horse-drawn trams years later. From the mid-1950s running on 53 miles of track. the electric trams powered by the Bottom image: The façade of the expanded converter station were replaced Grenfell Street powerhouse is also still with diesel buses and the converter in place and occupied by Tandanya, the station was closed in 1956. National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.

August 2015 ElectraNet Pty Ltd 52-55 East Terrace Adelaide South Australia 5000 Telephone: +61 8 8404 7966 electranet.com.au 1998 1939 17 February South Australian Premier, September By the time the Second World War broke out, transmission lines John Olsen, announced the privatisation of ETSA. The Pathway of Power extended into the farmlands of South Australia and delivered electricity to industrial The subsequent separation and sale saw the sites like BHP’s quarries at Rapid Bay on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The following year, establishment of ElectraNet, while the distribution as demands of the war began to impact on the community, new substations, lines network retained the name ETSA Utilities. 1910s and transformer stations were constructed to feed electricity to local munitions 13 December National Electricity Market (NEM) Electricity supply 1924 factories and important war-effort supply stores. started operating across the eastern seaboard was extended to the September states of Australia (with Tasmania physically suburbs of Norwood, Construction 1986 joining the market in 2005). The NEM, which Unley, Hindmarsh commenced on a 1977 14 July An agreement to connect the operates across an interconnected power system, and Thebarton by new transmission 1898 11 February With the advent of transmission networks of South Australia is administered by the Australian Energy Market 2200 V cables. line into the Barossa The South Australian Electric Light and Motive domestic electronic appliances, South and Victoria was signed. Construction work Operator (AEMO). This market management Power Company built a small temporary Valley and on to 1952-1962 Australia experienced its first ‘peak load’. 1901 commenced one year later and on 30 March role includes maintaining reserve requirements, powerhouse in a stable at the corner of St Vincent Balaklava, marking At 1.30 pm, demand reached 1,150 MW 1990, the interconnector was officially opened 19 November A new powerhouse was In the ten years between 1952 and 1962, coordinating dispatch of generation, and 2011 and Lipson Streets in Port Adelaide. It housed the first extension as people switched on air conditioners to by South Australian Premier, John Bannon built at the intersection of Grenfell Street determining the spot price and financial 16 December High-voltage supply to the Adelaide 1885 three Galloway boilers and two 25 kW and two 1917 of the transmission cope with the 38 degree centigrade heat. (centre). The Interconnector comprised a and East Terrace. Driven by coal fired boilers 596 kms of 275 kV transmission line, settlement of the market. CBD was bolstered with the energisation of a new OCTOBER J.W.H. Hullet became the first person 50 kW Alley and McLellan high speed/single network beyond the 500 kV to 275 kV substation at Heywood in and steam generators, it distributed power Demand for electricity saw 275 kV underground cable extending from Torrens to light a private residence, through what was action/non-condensing steam engines, which metropolitan area. 1,285 kms of 132 kV transmission line Victoria, and 275 kV lines from Heywood to from a DC generating plant with a capacity of Island substation to a new site, City West, at Keswick described as a hydro-electric plant, at his home were joined with Johnson and Phillips Direct the generating capacity of the the South East substation in South Australia. 400 kW through a network of newly installed and 625 kms of 66 kV sub-transmission 2000 Terminal. Delivery of the two 188 tonne transformers to in Port Augusta. Hullet’s dining room is shown Current (DC) generators to produce electricity. the new City West substation each required five prime underground and overhead cables. Grenfell Street powerhouse 1984 ElectraNet began trading as a here, lit by electricity at 11.00pm. The powerhouse moved to this purpose built line was completed. 31 October movers with a range of police escorts, to safely deliver An underground fluid-filled 275 kV cable was private company, operating South Australia’s location on Nile Street in June 1899. increased to 12,000 kW. the load from Queensland to South Australia. The installed between the Magill and East Terrace high-voltage electricity transmission network. substations, including alongside this section trips each took over two weeks, covered a distance of of Bartels Road, to address the growing 2,122 kms and set a record as the heaviest loads ever electricity demand of the city. to have been transported on South Australian roads.

2011 31 January South Australia’s demand for energy 1943 1954 peaked at 3,413 MW, as the temperature climbed to 43 degrees centigrade in Adelaide. August A 66 kV line to Morgan was completed to 23 July After six years 1899 1923 power the new Morgan–Whyalla water supply pipeline of construction, Port 1985 August With customer demand exceeding the 1955 31 JULY F.W.H Wheadon arrived in Adelaide project. The electricity enabled water to be extracted Augusta ‘A’ power 9 January The Northern Power Station was 1902 capacity of the Grenfell Street powerhouse, a new from England, to take up leadership of the South from the Murray River and pumped over to the Eyre station began operating, The Power Line commissioned to supply additional base load 2016 10 MW coal fired power station was built outside 18 April Australian Electric Light and Motive Power North Adelaide became the Peninsula, enabling large industry to be established with Port Augusta ‘B’ power. The 275 kV transmission system between The South Australia – Victoria Interconnector is of the metropolitan area at Osborne. Carrier (PLC) communications upgraded to increase capacity in both directions by 1897 Company, as its Chief Engineer. He is credited with first suburban area to receive with an assured water supply. coming online another Adelaide and Port Augusta was also reinforced to 2005 dramatically improving the fledgling company’s The new Osborne power station generated directly six years after that. support the growing demand for power within the 40%. The upgrade involves the installation of a third 11 DECEMBER The system was first used to relay 29 April Cathedral Rocks became the first operations and supply reliability, and laying the electricity, connected through into a newly constructed 33 kV transmission Together they are metropolitan region. transformer at Heywood in Victoria and a new series South Australian wind farm connected to the transmission ground work for the State’s electricity network. system with two double circuit lines connecting known as the Playford a conversation between staff compensation site at Black Range in South Australia. Parliament passed a 1946 network. ElectraNet is the largest connector of underground supply lines. to substations at Birkenhead and Port Adelaide, The Electricity Trust of South Australia (ETSA) was created power station. This is the first time series compensation will be bill to form a privately 1 September at Northfield and Port Augusta. wind generation in Australia. South Australia September The London-based English Brush through Croydon and then on to Adelaide. by the South Australian Government through an Act of Parliament which used in the South Australian transmission network, owned electricity has half of the nation’s installed wind power Electrical Engineering Company Ltd purchased nationalised AESCo, taking control of its assets and staff. Premier Thomas The communications system, which includes the and only the second time in Australia. supply company to capacity and the second largest wind-to-load the South Australian Electric Light and Motive 1905 Playford (shown here at the Leigh Creek coalfields) reasoned that the availability tower shown being craned into place on ElectraNet’s generate and transmit Power Company. The company soon secured an building, enabled the remote operation and monitoring ratio in the world. The South Australian Electric Light and Motive of an adequate, reliable and centrally planned electricity supply was key to the power in the Port agreement with the City of Adelaide to supply of the transmission network. ElectraNet has the largest Power Company was incorporated and renamed growth of South Australian industry and agriculture. Playford quickly began Adelaide area. electricity for lighting on King William Street and private telecommunications network in the State. the Adelaide Electric Supply Company Ltd (AESCo). implementing plans to develop new power stations at Port Augusta and the the connection of private customers. Leigh Creek coal fields, to remove the State’s reliance on interstate coal.