Energy Skills Queensland

Queensland is the second highest consumer of electricity in Australia with annual electricity consumption in Queensland growing by more than 29 percent or approximately 10,500 gigawatt hours (GWh) between 1999-2000 and 2007-08. Demand growth is expected to continue with an estimated one million people anticipated to make Queensland’s south-east corner their home over the next 20 years. Also, Queensland’s regional resources sector consumers require energy for the operation of mines, mineral processors such as smelters, crushers and refineries, gas and chemical manufacturing and supporting export infrastructure such as ports and rail.

The electricity supply industry in Queensland comprises a number of interconnected sectors:

• Generation – Electricity is produced at power stations (generators).
• Transmission – Electricity is transported from power stations through the high voltage transmission network. Voltage is then reduced to a lower voltage at substations.
• Distribution – Electricity is distributed to homes and business via ‘bulk supply’ substations.
• Retail – Electricity is sold to customers by an electricity retailer.

Electricity Transmission
Powerlink Queensland, a Government Owned Corporation, is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the high voltage electricity transmission network in Queensland. Powerlink operates more than 12,000 kilometres of Queensland’s high voltage transmission network, transporting electricity from the generators to the distribution networks and directly to large customers such as aluminium smelters.

Electricity Distribution
Electricity in Queensland is supplied to most customers via an electricity distribution system, which connects the high voltage transmission system to individual premises.

Queensland’s industrial, commercial and domestic consumers of electricity are serviced by the following electricity distribution companies:

• ENERGEX (who supplies more than 2.8 million customers in south-east Queensland)
• Ergon Energy (who supplies more than 650,000 customers in rural and regional Queensland); and
• Country Energy (a NSW distributor whose supply area extends over the border).

The electricity supply transmission and distribution industry conveys electricity from the generating power stations to the consumer by means of a reticulation system that includes the following component sections:

• The distribution of electricity by means of overhead conductors and poles. This is usually reticulation in built up areas in both industrial/commercial and residential settings or rural settings,
• The distribution of electricity by means of underground cables where installation and cable jointing are specific skills. This is usually reticulation in built up areas in both industrial/commercial and residential settings,
• The distribution of electricity by means of overhead conductors suspended from towers (or larger concrete or wooden poles) at voltages substantially higher than those used for distribution,
• The transmission of electricity by means of underground cables which are usually oil or gas filled requiring special skills in installation and maintenance.

Rail Traction
The distribution of electricity used for transporting of people and goods by various types of rail traction vehicles (e.g. tram and train) involves the carrying out of construction, maintenance and inspection of overhead traction wiring systems and equipment in accordance with legislative rules and regulations.

Cable Jointing
Work in the area of cable jointing involves the laying, installation, jointing and maintenance of de-energised LV and HV underground polymeric cables and the installation and maintenance of electrical equipment.  Options are available for skills to be obtained for energised cables and or Low and High Voltage paper insulated cables.

Image supplied courtesy of ENERGEX.