SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 ELECTRICIFATION OF EVERYTHING After a year of change, regional lines company Eastland Network is rolling out some major upgrades to keep the lights on. Eastland Network’s Jarred Moroney explains the details . ith a range of improvements Duration index) and SAIFI (System Average upgrades, and has further enhanced our the end of the 2025 financial year. To do this already behind it and more Interruption Frequency Index),” Eastland asset inspection regime. Eastland Network will install four 6MVAr significant upgrades to come, Network general manager Jarred Moroney “Our vegetation management plan was 50kV capacitor banks. WEastland Network is preparing says. updated, with electronic checklists developed - The thermal upgrade of the Tuai-Gisborne for what is known as “the electrification of “Operationally, the network has undergone to ensure the data is captured consistently. 110kV lines to address the potential issue of everything”. a year of change, reorganisation and New asset inspection protocols were peer- overheating as a result of increased demand. This year lines company Eastland Network improvements. reviewed. Adopting the DNO Common The upgrade includes clearing high points delivered 284.3 GWh of power to 20,236 “We have undertaken one of the most Asset Indices Methodology was a major under the tower line; increasing the height domestic and 5547 non-domestic consumers significant pieces of work in our history, undertaking. of the twin pole structures; increasing across 12,000 square kilometres. with the complete overhaul of the asset “The asset management plan has a focus on the height of the towers; and tower and “This is compared with 282.7 GWh in management plan. A committee was formed a programme of upgrades in remote areas to foundation strengthening and insulator 2020. We achieved full compliance with to oversee and undertake this process. The ensure energy resilience.” replacement. service quality regulations once again, for plan identifies the most effective ways to The plan includes three main projects: both SAIDI (System Average Interruption allocate spending on asset maintenance and - Increasing MW capacity to 57.5MW by Continued on page 2 News year’s resolution? Home Keep Subscribe delivered or informed... today read online 41652-01 Call us on 869 0620 or email [email protected] or visit www.gisborneherald.co.nz 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD Preparing for increase in demand From page 1 household came home and plugged in their cars at the same time. - Installing two additional 6MVAr 50kV “We’re already starting to see what used to capacitor banks which will increase regional be our peak demand occurring over winter electricity capacity to 68MW by the end of now starting to be modelled during summer. the 2034 financial year. This is being caused by the increase in heat Mr Moroney said the Network Public pumps and people not only using them Safety Management Systems audit had been to warm their houses but to cool them on completed and the network continued to summer nights. maintain its levels of compliance. “We have to make sure our assets are ready “We also introduced new efficiencies for these increases in demand. and continued to improve our 24/7 “We’re also getting prepared for large- responsiveness to outages. scale industrial load growth to ensure it can “We’ve reviewed our fault management support regional economic development. process and extended our control room “Additionally, Eastland Network is tackling hours and staffing levels. the long-time moratorium on new power “We now have Electrinet working with us connections in Mahia. With peak period on the ground. This gives us access to more demand now above our transformer and line contracted staff, who provide additional capacity on the peninsula, we can’t supply resource to fix faults. any new connections until we’ve addressed “As with all networks, major weather this. events cause widespread faults and will “We’ve committed to purchasing a new always stretch available resource,” Mr transformer this year, and are aiming to have Moroney says. a new substation built and the line upgraded “Major Matawai upgrades were completed, within three years — as long as we can with new poles installed and new secure the required land. In the meantime, automation capability. Instead of dispatching we’re replacing or reconductoring a series of a faultman to manually switch over during poles, and carrying out planned maintenance CHARGED UP: Eastland Network recently completed the installation of a region-wide faults, this will be undertaken remotely. to strengthen the capacity of the existing network of electric vehicle chargers. Picture supplied “A key upgrade continues to be the network.” introduction of an automated switching Eastland Network plans to spend $10m process, in areas such as Matawai. This every year in its latest five-year plan to means that if there’s an outage, we can do upgrade and maintain the network. more fault restorations remotely — which “Eastland Group also continues to look at helps reduce the time it takes to get the the potential for a range of local renewable POLE POSITION: power back on and minimises disruption to energy generation options, such as solar, A major asset customers. wind and waste-to-energy plants.” upgrade and “In situations like up the Coast, where we All of the power generated using replacement are reliant on one 50kV line, we can use the alternative methods would go through project in Matawai automated switches to isolate the section Eastland Network’s Gisborne substation and has seen the installation of new with the fault and our generators to provide be distributed from there. poles, as well as power, thereby drastically reducing the “We’re also exploring the viability of an the introduction number of people without power. alternative transmission line as another of an automated “We are also employing technology to option,” Mr Moroney said. switching process. monitor load usage across the network, “Building another transmission line would Picture supplied to help us understand load characteristics be complex and extremely time consuming, and where the demand may be high. This is but we need to make sure this piece of work assisting us with our planning process for is included in the overall review of demand the future.” requirements for this region.” Work has also begun on replacing the Patutahi substation. “This will increase capacity from 5MW to 12.5MW at the substation, which will accommodate the growth being seen in horticultural areas. “Work is also under way to split the Kaiti and Coast 50kV feeders, which will significantly reduce the SAIFI and SAIDI for outages on the Coast line. “The world is changing, and Eastland Network is getting ready to change with it. We have to be ready for future increases in the demand for electricity, and how and when people across Tairawhiti and Wairoa will be using their power. “In other words, the electrification of everything. “So, we’re preparing for the rapidly increasing pace of energy transformation. This is coming as a result of the improving economics of new technology and in response to climate change. “It will involve growth in the installation of small-scale distributed generation like solar PV and batteries, and an increasing uptake of electric vehicles across the network.” Eastland Network recently completed the installation of a region-wide network of electric vehicle chargers. “We predict our region will be slower than the rest of the country in terms of EV uptake because of our demographics but we still have to be ready,” Mr Moroney says. “At peak times we are already close POWER OF THE SUN: Eastland Group has extended its solar trials to commercial premises, with solar panels now installed on the roof at to capacity, so imagine if every second the Eastland Port and Eastland Network offices, above, and the new Gisborne Airport terminal. Picture supplied SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 3 PROFILE NEW HOME: All the way from the Philippines, Armando and Shari Anne Suaverdez, seen here with their two sons Airsleo, 8, and Pyther, 6, are enjoying getting to know the community at Ngata College, and the wider community of Ruatoria. Pictuire by Liam Clayton Patience and prayer Reporter Jack Marshall talks to Armando and Shari Anne Suaverdez, who are happy to be making a new life in Ruatoria and at Ngata Memorial College. t’s a safe bet no Filipino ever grew up background here, but I had 10 years teaching here, so I have no problems,” said Armando. While they were applying for jobs, a planning to make Ruatoria their home experience in the Philippines,” said Armando. For Shari, this is the fi rst high school she massive place of support for them was Life but that’s precisely where the Suaverdez Not only does he have a decade of has worked at after being in the primary and Church. Ifamily has decided to put down roots this experience, but the pair are laden with higher early education sectors for years. “It was a really helpful place where we could year, with both parents taking teaching roles education from the Philippines. “It’s more challenging teaching because pray and pray, because we don’t have people at Ngata Memorial College. Armando has a doctorate in physics, a it’s at the secondary level. My job is learning to lean on here. We don’t have any family e road to Ruatoria hasn’t been easy. Bachelor of secondary education and a support, so the role is diff erent, and the ages here, just the four of us.” It took three years to get the whole family Master of Arts in teaching physics. of the students are diff erent.” Armando and Shari said patience, into New Zealand and a year of rejected job Shari has a Masters degree in mathematics For now, Shari helps Year 9 classes and can determination and prayer got them through applications to schools.