Supply interruptions This section explains template 6.3 of the Final RINs for distribution. AER Position Template 6.3 requires DNSPs to provide details on all outages by cause for the 5-year historic period. While much of this information has been collected from DNSPs in annual RINs, it has not been consistent and so we consider there is a need and opportunity to streamline the collection of historic interruption to supply data in a single RIN request which serves the joint purposes of: annual benchmarking reports under NER rule 6.27 (as well as the related assessments of capex and opex proposals) calculation of STPIS penalties and rewards under NER clause 6.4.3(a)(5) performance reports under section 28V of the NEL. Reasons for AER position Obtaining quality information relating to supply interruptions is critical in understanding the overall resilience of the network. Data on the relative costs incurred by NSPs cannot be meaningfully translated into views of relative efficiency without an understanding of the quality of electricity supply provided to customers. Data on outages, particularly planned outages and those due to asset failure provide important information in support of the DNSP’s decisions to invest in asset replacement and incur expenditure on maintenance and repair. Information on interruptions and fire starts due to vegetation encroachment are also useful in considering volumes of work and costs for vegetation management. For benchmarking purposes, this data needs to be based on consistent definitions in the same way as expenditures and work volumes. The way in which we aim to collect interruption to supply data is in a different format to the way in which we currently collect it for the purposes of annual performance reporting and for the STPIS. The reasons for outages contained in the template also differs (is more detailed) that what has been previously reported by DNSPs. Most DNSPs use different outage categorisations and we see a clear need to align them to a consistent set of reasons to support our analysis and comparisons of DNSP performance. Several DNSPs objected to imposing or changing reasons for outages from existing annual reporting arrangements. Noting our strong preference to standardise and seek more detail on reasons for outages,
Supply interruptions This section explains template 6.3 of the Final RINs for distribution. AER Position Template 6.3 requires DNSPs to provide details on all outages by cause for the 5-year historic period. While much of this information has been collected from DNSPs in annual RINs, it has not been consistent and so we consider there is a need and opportunity to streamline the collection of historic interruption to supply data in a single RIN request which serves the joint purposes of: annual benchmarking reports under NER rule 6.27 (as well as the related assessments of capex and opex proposals) calculation of STPIS penalties and rewards under NER clause 6.4.3(a)(5) performance reports under section 28V of the NEL. Reasons for AER position Obtaining quality information relating to supply interruptions is critical in understanding the overall resilience of the network. Data on the relative costs incurred by NSPs cannot be meaningfully translated into views of relative efficiency without an understanding of the quality of electricity supply provided to customers. Data on outages, particularly planned outages and those due to asset failure provide important information in support of the DNSP’s decisions to invest in asset replacement and incur expenditure on maintenance and repair. Information on interruptions and fire starts due to vegetation encroachment are also useful in considering volumes of work and costs for vegetation management. For benchmarking purposes, this data needs to be based on consistent definitions in the same way as expenditures and work volumes. The way in which we aim to collect interruption to supply data is in a different format to the way in which we currently collect it for the purposes of annual performance reporting and for the STPIS. The reasons for outages contained in the template also differs (is more detailed) that what has been previously reported by DNSPs. Most DNSPs use different outage categorisations and we see a clear need to align them to a consistent set of reasons to support our analysis and comparisons of DNSP performance. Several DNSPs objected to imposing or changing reasons for outages from existing annual reporting arrangements. Noting our strong preference to standardise and seek more detail on reasons for outages,