Endeavour Energy’s new interactive mapping portal is an Australian industry first, and is expected to improve user experience and network demand management.
The portal was developed in response to calls from the Australian Energy Regulator and many peak consumer groups for electricity networks to better utilise the existing network to delay capital investment which customers then have to fund in electricity bills for up to fifty years.
The portal reveals detailed network asset and planning information for third parties interested in developing demand management proposals in a more efficient and cost effective way.
“This new portal will help integrate demand-side solutions into network planning and business practices,” Endeavour Energy’s General Manager Asset Management, Ty Christopher, said.
“Effective demand management can deliver millions of dollars of savings in customers’ electricity bills by limiting or deferring the need for new investment in electricity networks.
“We developed this service to improve users’ experience and provide access to information about load profiles, network limitations and the likely timing of those limitations in an interactive, online map format.”
This information was previously contained in a 200 page report called the Distribution Annual Planning Report (DAPR) posted on Endeavour Energy’s website.
“Users told us it was very difficult to navigate in its current PDF format and made identifying demand management opportunities quite challenging,” Mr Christopher said.
“The new portal allows us to deliver better information to streamline the delivery of non-network solutions by third parties.
“Beneath the maps on the portal is all the relevant information required by third parties to develop a submission for non-network services at that point in the network.
“It’s a practical example listening to the voices of our stakeholders and responding to their input as we design the network of the future. This will place customers at the centre of decisions about how and where network investments are made.
“Non-network solutions that result in improved services and lower network prices are in the long term interest of our customers.”
