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Registration for workshops - AEMC review of strategic priorities for energy market development

04 April 2013

The AEMC will be publishing its 2013 strategic priorities review discussion paper on Monday 15 April 2013. As part of our stakeholder consultation for this review, the AEMC is hosting three stakeholder workshops.

We are inviting stakeholders to register their interest in participating in one of the three workshops being held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The workshops will involve a discussion between the AEMC and stakeholders on current and longer-term priority issues for electricity and gas markets.

We encourage you to register your interest in participating as soon as possible as places are limited.

Draft determination made on pipeline operator cost recovery processes rule change request

04 April 2013

Today, the AEMC published a draft rule determination and draft rule for the pipeline operator cost recovery processes rule change request submitted by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

The Commission is proposing to make a more preferable rule which incorporates several of the changes proposed in the AER’s rule change request. It also makes a number of additional amendments to further promote efficiency in the operation and use of the pipeline operator cost recovery provisions in the national gas rules (NGR).

Stakeholders are invited to make submissions in response to the draft rule determination, including the draft (more preferable) rule, by Thursday 16 May 2013.

 

Draft determination made on gas STTM deviations and the settlement surplus and shortfall

28 March 2013

On 28 March 2013, the AEMC published the draft rule determination and draft (more preferable) rule for the gas STTM Deviations and the Settlement Surplus and Shortfall rule change request.

The Commission has proposed to make a more preferable rule that largely adopts the changes proposed by the rule change proponent, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), in their rule change request. In addition, the draft rule also creates a set of principles and parameters in the National Gas Rules (NGR) to guide AEMO in the development of deviation pricing.

Stakeholders are invited to make submissions in response to the draft rule determination, including the draft rule, by no later than the close of business on Thursday, 9 May 2013.

Retail energy market competition in NSW – Public forum Wednesday 20 March 2013 from noon to 4pm

14 March 2013

AEMC staff will present on progress of the NSW retail competition review. Guest speakers will also present followed by a general discussion of issues raised. Registrations close 5pm on Friday 15 March 2013. To register, go to the Public Hearings and Forums page here

Final determination made on STTM Brisbane participant compensation fund

28 February 2013

On 28 February 2013, the AEMC published a final rule determination and final rule for AEMO's rule change request in relation to the STTM Brisbane participant compensation fund.

 

Draft determination made on Market Operator Service (MOS) – Timing and Eligibility rule change request

28 February 2013

On 28 February 2013, the AEMC published the draft rule determination and draft (more preferable) rule for the Market Operator Service (MOS) – Timing and Eligibility rule change request.

The Commission is proposing to make a more preferable rule that largely adopts the changes proposed by the rule change proponent, the Australian Energy Market Operator, in their rule change request.  The draft (more preferable) rule also creates a monthly MOS period in the National Gas Rules (NGR).

Stakeholders are invited to make submissions in response to the draft rule determination, including the draft (more preferable) rule, by no later than the close of business on Thursday, 11 April 2013.

Consultant reports released and public forum to be held on retail energy market competition in NSW

28 February 2013

The Australian Energy Market Commission today released four consultant reports to inform its review of retail competition in NSW energy markets, prior to its first public forum on 20 March 2013.

The reports include:

  • a quantitative survey of 1,000 residential energy customers across NSW (Roy Morgan);
  • a quantitative survey of 500 small business energy customers across NSW (Roy Morgan);
  • a report on four focus groups with residential and small business customers held in Parramatta and Dubbo (Roy Morgan); and
  • a survey of retailers’ views on aspects of market competitiveness in NSW including interviews with 16 businesses; the Energy Retailers’ Association; and the Energy Supply Association of Australia (Sapere).

The AEMC will hold a public forum on the review on 20 March 2013 in Sydney. The consultant reports released today will help inform forum discussions.

Stakeholders may register for the forum through the AEMC’s website at http://www.aemc.gov.au/News/Public-hearings.html

Stakeholders may make written submissions on these consultant reports during the consultation period on the draft report, due to be released in late May.

These survey reports are only one part of the picture of competition in NSW energy retail markets. We will consider this information along with submissions and other sources of information to provide an overall assessment of the state of competition in our draft report, due in late May 2013.  

Under the Australian Energy Market Agreement the AEMC is required to assess and publicly report on the effectiveness of retail competition in energy retail markets in each state and territory (except Western Australia and the Northern Territory). The AEMC will consider the state of competition in NSW and provide advice on ways to promote the growth of effective competition; or to phase out retail price regulation if competition is found to be effective.

The review will be completed and our advice provided to energy ministers by 30 September 2013.

It will explore:

  • small customers' experiences of energy retail competition including the types of marketing practices used and prices offered;
  • retailers’ experiences of full energy retail competition, including any perceived barriers to entry;
  • views on time of use tariffs, including their availability, take up and impact on competition; and
  • views on the best path to removing retail price regulation in NSW's small customer electricity and natural gas retail markets, including views on the appropriateness of gradually rolling back the consumption threshold for access to regulated prices.

 

For information contact:

AEMC Acting Senior Director, Eamonn Corrigan (02) 8296 7800

Media: Communication Manager, Prudence Anderson 0404 821 935 or (02) 8296 7817

Date: 28 February 2012

Commencement of rule change process

17 January 2013

The AEMC has started consultation under an expedited process on a rule change request from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) which seeks to increase the dollar amount for the participant compensation fund in relation to the short term trading market Brisbane hub.

 

Extension of period of time for Market Operator Service – timing and eligibility draft rule determination

17 December 2012

On 13 December 2012 the AEMC gave notice under section 317 of the National Gas Law to extend the period of time for making a draft rule determination for the Market Operator – timing and eligibility rule change (ref: GRC0016). The draft rule determination will now be published on 28 February 2013.

 

Looking ahead to lower cost ways to support electric vehicles

11 December 2012

The AEMC today released its final advice on implications for energy market arrangements from the introduction of electric and natural gas powered vehicles.

The Commission has taken a long term view in relation to the introduction of market reforms designed to support the economically efficient uptake of electric and natural gas vehicles. Electric vehicles in particular are another new “appliance” which is set to place new demands on Australia’s power system. This review has found that each electric vehicle could impose additional network and generation costs from $7500 up to $10,000 per vehicle over the 5 years from 2015 to 2020 in the absence of appropriate pricing signals and efficient charging decisions.

AEMC Chairman, John Pierce, said today that each electric vehicle could result in additional generation and network costs that, under current market arrangements would be shared by all consumers.

“Promotion of efficient investment by both consumers and service providers in electric vehicles requires some changes to electricity market arrangements,” Mr Pierce said.

 “To facilitate efficient market outcomes in relation to electric vehicles we recommend that pricing signals (particularly network pricing signals) should reflect the underlying cost of supplying electricity.

The final advice confirms the review’s findings that efficient electric vehicle charging and consumer choice would be promoted by development of new metering arrangements in the market.

AEMC recommendations include:

  • As stated in our Power of choice review, we propose that cost reflective network pricing be phased in through a banding approach, with medium to large consumers transitioned to efficient and flexible network prices. This should be set to capture a high proportion of EV consumers.
  • Introducing new metering arrangements that enable consumers to separate their electric vehicle power consumption from their household consumption. This would enable them to source the most appropriate mixture of retail deals to best reflect their preferences;
  • Adoption of metering with interval reading capability for all electric vehicles;
  • Devising new metering arrangements that enable third parties to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure in commercial properties (eg. shopping centres and business parks); and
  • Specifying principles for load management where an electric vehicle owner delegates charging rights to another party.

The final advice concludes that no significant changes need to be made to market arrangements to cater for the uptake of natural gas vehicles.

 

 

For information contact:

AEMC Chairman, John Pierce (02) 8296 7800

Media: Communication Manager, Prudence Anderson 0404 821 935 or (02) 8296 7817

 

11 December 2012

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