RRA :: Consulting Electrical Engineers

	+ Government/Telstra Deal Announced 5th July, 2010 +
	After nine months of negotiations, the Government has made a deal with Telstra, for NBN Co to gain access to key parts of Telstra's infrastructure. While this advances the Government's plans for a national broadband network by one giant step, it has little significance for developers today....


	+ National Broadband Network: Developer' Options 4th July, 2010 +
	The provision of telecommunications to new estates is presently very confusing. It is not being helped by the spin which all parties are putting into their published comments. So what are developer's options?...


	+ No thanks to Couriers Please for Unacceptable Service 8th June, 2010 +
	If you need to send us any documents urgently, do not use Couriers Please. We have found their performance to be poor. Couriers Please will not deliver to McDowall until well after 5.00pm, when we are closed. Futhermore, if we are not then in the office, and a signature is required, then Couriers Please will not deliver at all, and the item is returned to sender. Couriers Please service is unacceptable....


	+ Telstra Fibre in New Estates 26th May, 2010 +
	Telstra's decision to install only fibre in new estates caught everyone by surprise on 9 March 2010. Just what this means for developers is now becoming clear. Residential subdivisions which were registered with Telstra after 8/3/10 could cost between $2500 and $3000 per lot. Telstra will soon start contacting many developers with an offer to install fibre - at a price....


	+ National Broadband Network: Greenfield Legislation 25th May, 2010 +
	DBCDE has issued a Position Paper outlining its proposals for subordinate legislation in support of the NBN roll-out in greenfield estates. Not surprisingly, there has been a significant retreat from its original proposals. The NBN will not be involved on 1 July. In effect, Telstra will continue to set the pace, because they will largely decide whether or not fibre will be installed. But budgetting uncertainty is a real problem, because initially many (most?) estates will still not have fibre....


	+ Ergon Transformer Policy Adds to Developers' Costs (and Ergon's too) 18th May, 2010 +
	Ergon recently introduced a policy which requires virtually all new transformers in residential areas to be 315 kVA. The industry "standard" 500 kVA transformer is not allowed, despite the fact that this would reduce the overall cost of transformers by about $200 per lot. And Ergon's ongoing maintenance costs would be reduced significantly. Was the AER aware of this waste of funds when they were setting tariffs? ...


	+ Channel 9 ACA Nonsense 24th September, 2009 +
	Channel 9's ACA forfeited any claim to credibility tonight, with a nonsensical item on "dangers from power lines". About the only they got right was the fact that electricity flows along the lines. (That's good, by the way. It's why your computer is working now.)...


	+ FOI Investigation of Pine Rivers EMF Policy 23rd September, 2009 +
	A Freedom of Information investigation of Moreton Bay Regional Council - Pine Rivers District's EMF policy has revealed the background to this District's uniquely restrictive planning policy, which prevents residential development near electricity transmission lines. Council's policy is flawed, and it has been told as much by its own consultant....


	+ Battles We Have Fought Recently 16th August, 2009 +
	In case you wondered if it was really necessary to engage an experienced consulting engineer, we thought we might chronicle some amazing decisions by authorities that we have worked hard to get overturned recently. Of course, we are not publishing names, to avoid embarrassment....


	+ Telstra Slow With New Connection? 10th July, 2009 +
	Lately we have received several enquiries about slow connection of telephone services to new subdivisions. Well, do you know about Telstra's Customer Service Guarantee?...


	+ Moreton Bay Regional Council EMF restrictions lack foundation 2nd November, 2008 +
	Two of the recently-amalgamated local authorities in south-east Queensland continue to impose development restrictions in the vicinity of high voltage transmission lines. They are the former Caboolture Shire Council and Pine Rivers Shire Council - now part of Moreton Bay Regional Council. ...


	+ How To Get Electricity Connected - Maybe 1st August, 2008 +
	Getting electricity connected to new premises in Queensland can be a real nightmare. The problem is that you are dealing with two organizations: the Retailer and the Distributor (Energex or Ergon). And unfortunately, Energex's procedures have a gaping hole in them. But there is a way that it can be done with a reasonable chance of success....


	+ AER to Regulate Energex & Ergon from 2010 24th July, 2008 +
	Responsibility for the economic regulation of electricity distribution services in Queensland will transfer from the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) in 2010. The AER is presently inviting submissions from interested parties on its Proposed Positions Paper. Developers take note....


	+ Energex Policy Shift on Surrendering Easements 10th July, 2008 +
	Energex has signalled a policy shift on surrendering existing easements. Realising the value to developers, Energex has now begun using this as a bargaining chip to force developers to pay for network upgrades. Developers are strongly advised to enter into negotiations with Energex at the START of estate planning. Failure to do so could be very costly....


	+ Secure RRA Website Access Now Available 20th April, 2007 +
	Clients, project managers, civil engineers and surveyors can now gain immediate access to details of all of their current RRA jobs. ...


	+ Ergon's Subdivision Policy 4th April, 2007 +
	Developers will be pleased to know that Ergon's new policy for design and construction of underground electricity and street lights in subdivisions has now commenced....