Electricity
Norfolk Island electricity services are comprised of two main elements, the:
- Power house (including mechanical workshop); and
- Reticulation.
Administrative, clerical and billing components are carried out by the Finance branch and are supported by other areas such as the Legal Services Unit and Customer Care.
All electrical works on Island must be completed by accredited Norfolk Island Electricity (NIE) staff or by a registered electrical contractor.
Norfolk Island Electricity provides the following services to the community of Norfolk Island:
- Power generation
- Power supply – including connection/disconnection
- Reticulation
- Integration of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generated supply into the network – including maintaining network stability
- Public functions – lighting and electrical connections
- Limited street lighting
- Maintenance of electrical equipment required for the Electricity undertaking
- Maintenance of standby generators for public/ANI-owned assets/enterprises, including the Hospital, Airport, and Fire services
- Airport lighting
- Meter reading.
Legislation
Under section 7 of the Electricity Supply Act 1985, the Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC) has the power to:
- purchase or generate electricity for supply to consumers;
- construct, install and maintain plant;
- hire or sell plant;
- regulate the co-ordination, development, extension and improvement of electricity supply throughout Norfolk Island, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to promote and regulate:
- the erection, extension or alteration of power stations;
- the installation and renewal of generating units;
- the erection, extension and improvement of supply mains; and
- the adoption of standards of plant, equipment, frequency and voltage for the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity;
- promote, encourage and regulate the safety of persons and property in relation to electricity, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to promote and encourage the safety of persons and property in relation to:
- the installation, maintenance and use of plant; and
- the sale or hire of electrical articles;
- regulate the private generation of electricity;
- determine the terms and conditions on or subject to which electricity will be supplied by the Administration; and
- charge for the connection of the supply and consumption of electricity.
Supply
The current Energy supply on Norfolk Island consists of:
- 6 x 1.0MW diesel generators generating at 415 volts – 3 x CAT and 3 x Cummins gen-sets;
- Diesel fuel supply on site of approximately 90,000 litres;
- 4 x 750 KvA 415/6600 volt step-up transformers;
- 1 x Standby generator 125 Kw supplying powerhouse essentials, hospital and airport;
- A 400 Kw load bank for shedding excess generated power during peak periods of solar input;
- Woodward Governors and a Load Sharing control system;
- Current switchboard of 3000 amps on either side with a switchboard limit of approximately 1.8MW;
- A manual power station control system;
- Manual scheduling; and
- 1.4 MW distributed household rooftop PV owned by members of the community.
Distribution
The Islands distribution network includes:
- A 6600-volt distribution network stepped down to 415 volts
- 4 feeders which carry differential percentages of the island
- load depending on whether the ring mains are open or closed – all of which is managed manually
- 44km of high and 44km of low voltage cabling of which approximately 50% is underground.
Most current PV installations are integrated into the network with less than 10 operating as off-grid standalone installations.
Meters are a mixture of standard (disc) and some solar and a small number of solar import/export (these latter are mainly on 3-phase connections)
Information on new Electricity Meters and Renewable Energy
Contact Us
Team Leader Electricity Department
Ben Christian Drive
Norfolk Island 2899
Phone: +6723 22078 / +6723 23206
Listing email: customercare@nirc.gov.au