NewsAI solution to support South Australia’s renewable development and growth

Each connection enquiry to ElectraNet receives a detailed response and due diligence. It includes feasibility and technical documents. ElectraNet has very clear targets for response times and quality standards of each Connection Enquiry Response (CER).

The PoC solution helps ElectraNet formulate a CER by automating repetitive tasks such as data ingestion, process flow and creation of technical documents based on engineering decisions.

By improving the process, the AI solution helps ElectraNet improve the connection process and facilitate the addition of renewable generators to the network, enhancing South Australia’s clean energy production. It also helps connect large loads, which contribute to the state’s growth by creating jobs and generating economic activity.

Aurecon’s Group Director, Digital & AI, Dave Mackenzie, said the results from the Generative AI PoC showed potential to deliver significant time reduction for certain elements of a CER, while also improving accuracy.

“The increase in demand to connect to South Australia’s network has created a spike in ElectraNet’s workload,” Mackenzie said.

“Traditionally, new connection request data was manually processed, consuming valuable engineering resources with certain aspects of the CER being repetitive.

“This PoC has not only demonstrated the potential for saving a large amount of manual processing time, it also helps to improve accuracy in repetitive, manual tasks.”

ElectraNet’s Head of Network Operations and Engineering, Senthil Arumugam, said the solution helped embed ElectraNet’s high standards when generating CERs.

“Connection enquiries are something we take very seriously. They are typically projects that can bring significant benefits for South Australia, either through electricity generation or industrial activity that creates jobs and growth,” Arumugam said.

“We want to be a facilitator and enabler of these projects, but at the same time ensure due diligence is followed to maintain security and reliability of the electricity system for all South Australians.

“This solution will help us coordinate very complex technical information to respond to connection requests, so we can act as the facilitator we strive to be.”

"AI is important in balancing the world’s energy demands
and supporting renewable sources."

Paul Gleeson, Managing Director, Energy, Aurecon

ElectraNet’s Head of Technology, Brent Gimpel, said that the solution was a great example of technology simplifying a process that can be complex and time consuming.

“It will free up our engineers and create a better experience for connections customers,” Gimpel said.

“Throughout the development and trial process we’ve kept people at the centre of the project while exploring how AI can do the heavy lifting – it's not about replacing human expertise, it’s about amplifying it.”

Now that the initial PoC is complete, the solution, which combines Generative AI with Aurecon's expertise in the energy sector, will proceed as a pilot program. Eventually, it could be scaled across ElectraNet to expand coverage and integration across its systems.

Aurecon’s Managing Director, Energy, Paul Gleeson, said the combination of human ingenuity with AI and domain expertise was increasingly important as the demand for more efficient energy systems continued.

“AI is playing an integral role in supporting the world’s changing energy requirements, as demand and supply need to be adequately balanced, and renewables continue to be a significant contributor,” Gleeson said.

Mackenzie said that the unique integration of Aurecon’s capabilities, experience and technology was helping clients, not only across the energy sector, but in other industries that have large and complex asset bases, such as water, to unlock system-wide efficiencies.

“Understanding the unique and complex challenges of clients and the markets in which they operate is crucial to developing solutions that deliver measurable results and impact,” he said.