Powerlink Queensland (formally Queensland Electricity Transmission Corporation Limited) is an electricity transmission system operator owned by the

Government of Queensland The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy was form ...

which operates the high-voltage electricity transmission infrastructure in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

History

Powerlink Queensland was created in 1995 after the corporatisation and restructure of the vertically integrated Queensland power industry. It was established under the Government Owned Corporation Act 1993 and is a registered public company under the Corporations Act 2001.

Operations

Powerlink is a transmission network service provider within the

National Electricity Market The National Electricity Market (NEM) is an arrangement in Australia's electricity sector for the connection of the electricity transmission grids of the eastern and southern Australia states and territories to create a cross-state wholesale elec ...

(NEM). It does not buy or sell electricity; instead it transports it between participants within the NEM. Powerlink is a regulated monopoly business, with revenues set by the

Australian Energy Regulator The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is the regulator of the wholesale electricity and gas markets in Australia. It is part of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and enforces the rules established by the Australian Energy Market Co ...

. The transmission network, operated by Powerlink Queensland, extends from north of

Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...

to the

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

border, and comprises of transmission lines and 139 substations. Its network connects to

via the

Queensland – New South Wales Interconnector The Queensland – New South Wales Interconnector (QNI) is a 330 kV AC interconnection between New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The link was commissioned in 2001. It consisted of double-circuit 330 kV lines between Armidale, ...

(QNI). It also has a DC connection to NSW via the smaller

Terranora interconnector Directlink (Terranora) Interconnector is a buried 59 kilometre (37 mi) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electricity transmission cable route from near Lavertys Gap (), Southwest of Mullumbimby, New South Wales and Bungalora () & connected via ...

. Powerlink is a member of Grid Australia which represents the owners of Australia's electricity transmission networks in the

and Western Australia. It has been appointed by the

Queensland State Government The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended f ...

as the jurisdictional planning body for Queensland to assess the capability of Queensland's transmission network to meet forecast electricity load growth. Powerlink has adopted live high voltage substation maintenance practices on voltages up to 330 kV and is currently the only transmission utility in Australia to use these techniques. Its laboratory provides specialist testing and diagnostic services.

References

External links

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National Association of Testing Authorities, AustraliaAustralian Energy Market OperatorEnergy Regulator
{{Authority control Government-owned companies of Queensland Electric power transmission system operators in Australia Energy in Queensland Government-owned energy companies Companies based in Brisbane 1995 establishments in Australia Companies established in 1995