SA Power Networks, a utility company, has outlined its intention to allocate $314 million to its information and communication technology (ICT) budget for the regulatory period spanning 2025 to 2030. This budget marks a reduction of approximately $30 million compared to the previous corresponding period. The details are outlined in the company’s draft regulatory proposal for the specified period, which is currently open for consultation until the end of August.
Within the proposed budget, $162 million is earmarked for business-as-usual requirements, with a specific allocation of $68 million for an applications refresh that encompasses security patches. The regulatory proposal also designates $105 million for significant upgrades and system replacement projects.
One notable project outlined in the proposal is the allocation of $24 million for a new service order management system to replace an existing one that will no longer be in regular support by 2030. An additional $18 million is intended for the completion of a legacy SAP data warehouse replacement project. The shift to a modern enterprise data platform in Microsoft Azure prompted the need to consolidate data from the old warehouse and decommission it.
SA Power Networks has also allocated funds for an ICT infrastructure refresh, which, despite having a reduced budget of $40 million due to the influence of cloud technologies, will see an increase of $2.5 million in capital expenditure for client devices.
The utility plans to allocate $2.4 million, primarily as operating expenditure, toward cybersecurity enhancements, without specifying its current cybersecurity spending. The proposal further outlines a budget of over $40 million for new capabilities, including improvements to personal and on-demand services, as well as accommodating the growing influence of home solar power on its ICT systems, necessitating expansions and data analytics integration.
