【Ferro-alloys.com】：South Australia’s electricity demand is forecast to double over the next 15 years, with ElectraNet pointing to a surge in mining, green metals and industrial activity as a key driver of the state’s electrification push.

In its 2026 Transmission Annual Planning Report (TAPR), ElectraNet revealed peak electricity demand is expected to rise from 3.3 gigawatts (GW) today to more than 6.5GW, underpinned by unprecedented interest in connecting to the state’s transmission network.

ElectraNet chief executive officer (CEO) Simon Emms said the shift signals a significant economic opportunity for South Australia, driven by its unique combination of renewable energy and mineral resources.

“South Australia is facing a jobs boom as industries seek to access the state’s unique combination of valuable minerals and world-class wind and solar renewable energy,” Emms said.

“As industries such as mining, steelmaking, defence and AI expand, the demand for electricity in the state is set to grow significantly.

“We have the opportunity to set the new global standard for a modern economy, where rapidly growing business and industry are supported by clean energy.”

The report highlights emerging demand hotspots across Greater Adelaide, the Mid North, Eyre Peninsula and Upper Spencer Gulf, where mining, mineral processing and green steel production are expected to play a central role in the state’s industrial expansion.

This growth aligns with broader industry trends, where South Australia’s rich endowment of critical minerals, particularly copper, magnetite and rare earths, is positioning the state as a key player in the global energy transition.

The state is coined to have a major copper-tunity, with the mineral becoming increasingly vital to electrification, forming the backbone of renewable energy systems, transmission infrastructure, electric vehicles, and data centres.

The same metals driving global decarbonisation are now also driving domestic electricity demand, as new projects seek to co-locate processing and manufacturing with renewable energy sources.

Copper especially is crucial to electrification due to its electrical and thermal conductivity, ductility, and corrosion resistance, often called the “metal of electrification” since almost all technology involved in generation, transmitting, storing, or using electricity relies on it.

In this sense, mining is playing a dual role in South Australia’s transition, both supplying the critical minerals required for electrification technologies and driving the need for expanded electricity infrastructure to support processing, refining and downstream industries.

The TAPR noted that large, energy-intensive industrial loads, including mining and green metals processing, are expected to create “step changes” in electricity demand as projects come online, adding further pressure to an already evolving power system.

At the same time, South Australia’s electricity network is becoming increasingly complex, with high levels of rooftop solar, battery storage and renewable generation reshaping demand patterns and requiring more sophisticated transmission planning.

To support this next phase of growth, ElectraNet has identified several key transmission projects, including the Northern Transmission Project (NTx), the Eyre Peninsula Upgrade and the South East Expansion, all aimed at improving network capacity and reliability.

“Transmission infrastructure will be vital to create an electricity superhighway, taking energy from the source to where it is needed, and managing the peaks and troughs of demand,” Emms said.

“So while South Australia has an exciting economic opportunity ahead, we must have the ability to take it. It is vital that we get the planning right and that regulators and governing bodies continue to evolve with us as we tackle truly unique energy circumstances.”

The challenge, according to ElectraNet, lies in ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with the scale and timing of new industrial developments, many of which are geographically dispersed and energy intensive.

“New transmission will be essential to connect new generation and storage to existing customer demand, and to meet increasing demand from electrification and emerging industrial expansion,” Emms said.

With South Australia targeting 100 per cent net renewable electricity by 2027, the convergence of mining, critical minerals and clean energy is set to redefine the State’s economic landscape.

As the TAPR makes clear, unlocking this opportunity will depend not only on the resources beneath the ground, but also on the strength of the networks that power what comes next.

• [Editor:Alakay]