Supporting clean energy
When: 14–31 December 2024, between 10am and 2pm (mainly weekends).
Where: Sections of our electricity distribution network.
We are preparing the electricity network for a future powered by clean energy. Between the 14th and 31st of December we’ll be doing some tests to improve how rooftop solar, battery systems and other renewable technologies work together. This means Victorians can continue getting safe and reliable power when new technologies are connected to the grid and the Victorian electricity network remains secure.
What this means for you
We will be testing the voltage across our network during the dates and times listed above.
- Tests will last up to one hour.
- We don’t need to turn your power off and you should not notice any changes to your power supply.
- In rare cases, you may experience changes in voltage levels and rooftop solar inverters may turn off. If your electrical appliances are damaged during testing, you may be eligible to submit a claim. For more information, see Claims.
- If testing is rescheduled due to the weather or other events, we will publish new dates here.
Why are we testing the network?
Electricity networks are facing more challenges with the increase of rooftop solar and other technologies. One of the main challenges is managing low demand on our network, which can compromise the stability and security of the grid. By addressing this challenge, we can continue to support solar energy and reduce carbon emissions.
What is voltage?
Voltage refers to the “pressure” between two points that pushes electricity through our network. Voltage is measured in volts and higher voltages cause more electricity to flow.
Networks like ours deliver electricity to homes and businesses within a range of 216 and 253 volts.
If voltage is too high, you may use more power than needed and it could damage your appliances. If voltage is too low, you may experience flickering lights and poor power quality.
How will these tests improve network security?
Hundreds of thousands of Victorian households have installed solar systems on their homes and businesses. Although this is clean energy (the sun powers it), there are often times when the amount of solar made is more than is needed (more supply than demand).
This supply and demand issue often happens during the day on mild, sunny weekends or public holidays, when solar generation is high but electricity usage is low and large commercial businesses aren’t using much power. This can lead to what’s called ‘minimum system load’, which makes the grid unstable and can lead to widespread power outages.
‘Minimum system load’ refers to the lowest demand on the grid on any given day, week or year. One way to address minimum system load is increase voltage levels. These tests will confirm that our voltage levels are working properly and effectively to manage network security needs in the future. During the test, we will temporarily increase voltages at our zone substations so we can measure the levels of every system and meter connected to the local network.
What are the likely voltage levels during testing?
Voltage levels will be higher than usual during testing, but this is necessary for us to test how we maintain network security and it will only be for a short period of time (less than one hour).
Voltage levels will be different for each property. It depends on when and how you use your electricity. For example, certain appliances use more power and different households may have different combinations of appliances.