Case Study

Transgrid: VNI Upgrade

Increasing transfer capability between Victoria and New South Wales with advanced power flow control.

15 SmartValves deployed

170 MW Grid capacity unlocked

2022 Deployment completed

Project overview

Australia’s electricity grid is undergoing a major transformation as coal-fired generation retires earlier than anticipated and the shift to renewable energy continues.

In 2020, the Australian Energy Market Operator and Transgrid initiated a Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission to identify a solution to increase transfer capability between Victoria and New South Wales.

Smart Wires’ advanced power flow control technology, SmartValve, was confirmed as the preferred option due to its net economic benefits, short timeframe for recovering project costs, and minimal environmental impact compared to alternatives.

In 2022, 15 SmartValves were deployed by Transgrid across two 330 kV circuits, unlocking 170 MW of grid capacity to support renewable integration and greater power flows between the states.

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The benefits

More transfer capability from existing infrastructure.

The VNI Upgrade helped Transgrid increase capability across critical interstate circuits while limiting environmental impact and supporting better use of the existing network.