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Reliability Panel seeks feedback on revised System Restart Standard

04 September 2025

The Reliability Panel has published a draft determination for its Review of the System Restart Standard, including proposed changes to the Standard and draft recommendations for future work to enhance system restart preparedness through the energy transition.

The draft determination and draft standard follow the Australian Energy Market Operator’s reports of growing challenges in securing adequate System Restart Ancillary Services (SRAS) across the National Electricity Market (NEM).

Chair of the Reliability Panel, Rainer Korte, said SRAS plays a vital role in helping to re-energise the power system in the unlikely event of a major supply disruption or 'black system event'.

“AEMO uses SRAS to effectively jump-start the power system by progressively providing power to other generators, and this, in turn, restores supply to consumers,” Mr Korte said.

“The System Restart Standard (SRS) provides guidance to help AEMO determine how much SRAS is needed.

“Future work is also going to be critical to enhance system restart preparedness and support the resilience of the electricity system as coal generation units continue to come to the end of their life and renewable generation, batteries and other resources come online.”

The Reliability Panel is proposing changes to the draft standard that include allowing AEMO to procure SRAS to:

form one or more restoration islands in an electrical subnetwork within two hours
restore supply in each electrical subnetwork to be able to meet 50 per cent of forecast average annual underlying demand within eight hours.

Mr Korte said the proposed changes would provide AEMO greater flexibility to adapt to, and coordinate SRAS effectively, to meet the changing needs of the power system.

“These changes address recommendations included in AEMO’s System Restart Technical Advice, published in June,” Mr Korte said.

“They take into account economic analysis which found that there is significant value in investing in improved system restoration capability for the NEM to protect against the potential impact of a rare event of prolonged disruption to electricity supply.

“The recommendations also take into consideration the special needs of sensitive loads, such as aluminium smelters, whose production processes may be significantly impacted during major supply disruptions.”

The Reliability Panel will hold an online forum on 22 September 2025 for stakeholders to discuss the content of this Draft Determination. Register here

Submissions in response to the draft determination close 16 October 2025.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

AEMC announces Reliability Panel appointments

03 July 2025

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) today announced the appointment of Commissioner Rainer Korte as the new Chair of the Reliability Panel, alongside several other key appointments to represent industry on the Panel.

Key appointments:

Commissioner Rainer Korte as Panel Chair
Commissioner Sally McMahon as Acting Chair
Associate Professor Joel Gilmore, reappointed as the discretionary member representing large renewable generators
Mr Mark Vincent, newly appointed member representing Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs)

The AEMC extends its sincere gratitude to outgoing Panel Chair, Commissioner Tim Jordan and outgoing DNSP representative Mr Peter Price for their outstanding contributions during their respective tenures.

New leadership for Reliability Panel

Commissioner Rainer Korte takes over from Commissioner Tim Jordan, who served as Chair from June 2024 and Acting Chair from February 2023. Commissioner Sally McMahon takes over as Acting Chair from Commissioner Rainer Korte.

Under the National Electricity Rules, the AEMC must appoint one of its Commissioners as Panel chairperson for up to three years, with the option to also appoint an Acting Chair.

New industry expertise

Distribution networks: Mr Mark Vincent, Chief Operating Officer at South Australia Power Networks (SAPN), brings over 40 years of energy industry experience. His expertise spans strategy, regulation, operations management, asset management and business transformation.

At SAPN, Mr Vincent leads the asset management and operations teams, ensuring South Australia's distribution network remains safe and reliable while adapting to the state's transition to decentralised, decarbonised energy. He holds a degree in Electronic Engineering, several post-graduate qualifications, and serves as Director and Corporate Governance Committee Chair at ElectricSuper.

Renewable generation: Associate Professor Joel Gilmore continues as the discretionary member representing large renewable generation. As General Manager Regulation & Energy Policy at Iberdrola Australia, Associate Professor Gilmore brings over fifteen years of experience in market design, market modelling, and renewable energy integration analysis.

Associate Professor Gilmore leads Iberdrola's policy engagements, develops business cases for renewable and firming assets, and is also an Associate Professor at Griffith University Business School. He was first appointed to the Panel in December 2021.

About the Reliability Panel

The Reliability Panel is established under the National Electricity Law (NEL) and forms part of the AEMC institutional arrangements. The primary function of the Panel is to monitor, review and report on the reliability, security and safety of the National Electricity Market (NEM).

Key responsibilities include:

monitoring and reporting on power system reliability, security and safety
providing expert advice to the AEMC on system reliability and security matters
determining standards and guidelines used by AEMO and market participants
conducting market reviews and setting key market parameters like the market price cap.

The Panel comprises representatives from across the National Electricity Market, including small and large consumers, generators, network businesses, retailers, and AEMO. This diverse membership ensures all perspectives are considered in maintaining a secure and reliable power system for consumers.

Interested parties should contact Victoria Mollard, Executive General Manager – Economics and System Security (02) 8296 7872 or victoria.mollard@aemc.gov.au or visit our Reliability Panel page.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

Australia's power grid delivering high levels of reliability but more investment needed

26 June 2025

The Reliability Panel has released its National Electricity Market (NEM) Reliability & Security Report, finding Australia's electricity market continued to maintain expected levels of reliability, security and safety during the 2023-24 financial year.

The comprehensive review, formerly known as the Annual Market Performance Review, assessed the performance of the NEM and identified five key insights highlighting the significant transformation underway in Australia's energy system.

Key findings include;

Reliability maintained: The NEM continued to deliver high levels of reliability with no breaches of the reliability standard or interim reliability measure in FY2024.
Security challenges persist: System security remains a pressing challenge as the energy transition accelerates, requiring ongoing focus on essential system services.
Battery growth accelerating: Both distributed and utility-scale battery capacity is increasing rapidly, with effective orchestration and price signals needed to deliver greater customer and system benefits.
Price patterns evolving: Wholesale electricity price patterns are changing as the energy mix transforms.
Safety record strong: No safety incidents occurred in the reporting period, that are within the scope of the Panel’s reporting.

Reliability Panel Chair Tim Jordan said while the NEM's current performance was satisfactory, more investment beyond currently committed projects will be required to ensure reliability in future years.

"The Panel’s report highlights the significant transformation the NEM is undergoing as we transition from a thermal-dominated system to one increasingly powered by renewable energy and storage," Mr Jordan said.

"Battery storage is growing rapidly – utility-scale batteries doubled in capacity in FY2024, and distributed batteries tripled. That shows the market is adapting well.

“Looking forward, however, the Panel recognises that AEMO is forecasting reliability gaps as early as 2026-27. Continued investment beyond current commitments is crucial for maintaining reliable electricity supply."

The Panel emphasised the critical importance of identifying system security needs early to allow sufficient lead time for timely investment in essential system services in a changing system.

The review draws on comprehensive data from the Australian Energy Market Operator, the Australian Energy Regulator, market participants and other sources to provide an authoritative assessment of the electricity market's performance.

The NEM Reliability & Security Report is conducted annually by the Reliability Panel in line with the National Electricity Rules and terms of reference issued by the Australian Energy Market Commission.

For more information, visit the project page.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

AEMC appoints AGL’s Suzanne Falvi to Reliability Panel as market customer representative

03 April 2025

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) today announced the appointment of Ms Suzanne Falvi as the new market customer representative on the Reliability Panel.

Ms Falvi, who is Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs at AGL, brings over a decade of experience in energy regulation, governance, and policy reform.

Her extensive background includes senior leadership roles at both the Energy Security Board and the AEMC, where she led significant reforms across energy and climate change frameworks.

Ms Falvi's appointment strengthens the Panel with her deep expertise in strategic stakeholder engagement, communications, and economic analysis.

The appointment follows a comprehensive nomination and voting process as required by the National Electricity Rules, which included consultation with all registered market customers and integrated resource providers with market connections.

The AEMC extends its sincere gratitude to outgoing Panel member Keith Robinson from Origin Energy for his significant contributions to the Reliability Panel during his tenure.

About the Reliability Panel

The Reliability Panel is a specialist body established under the National Electricity Law and falls under the AEMC.

The Panel is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the security and reliability of the national electricity system. It determines standards and guidelines used by market participants to maintain a secure power system for consumers.

The Panel comprises representatives from across the National Electricity Market, including consumers, generators, networks, retailers and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

For more information about current Panel members, please visit our website.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au.

Reliability Panel Reviews System Restart Standard and Seeks Stakeholder Input

12 December 2024

The Reliability Panel has commenced a review of the system restart standard following receipt of terms of reference from the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC).

The Chair of the Reliability Panel, Tim Jordan, says the review comes at a crucial time for the energy sector.

"As our electricity system undergoes unprecedented change, we need to ensure our system restart processes remain fit for purpose."

‘’This review is both timely and critical given the transformation underway in Australia's electricity system,’’ he said.

The power system is experiencing unprecedented change with thermal generation units progressively retiring alongside increasing transmission-connected renewable generation, batteries and distribution-connected resources.

Maintaining system security through this transition is crucial for achieving a stable, decarbonised electricity system.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) reports growing challenges in securing adequate System Restart Ancillary Services (SRAS) across the National Electricity Market.

SRAS providers help kick-start the power system by providing energy to other generators following a major blackout, which in turn restore supply to consumers.

Current challenges include:

increasing reliance on a shrinking pool of SRAS providers
scarcity of SRAS capability among new transmission-level generators
rising system restoration risks from high levels of distribution-connected PV generation.

To address these challenges, the regulatory framework may need updating to provide clear investment signals that support competitive and efficient system restart services. This will help ensure better outcomes for consumers.

The review comprises two stages:

Framework Review: Assessing whether current regulatory arrangements suit the future power system outlined in AEMO's Integrated System Plan
Standard Update: Revising the system restart standard based on stage one findings, considering major supply disruption risks and SRAS availability and costs

The Panel has released an issues paper seeking stakeholder feedback on:

future requirements for system restart planning
barriers to developing new system restart capability
improvements to drive investment in system restart services.

"With new technologies entering the market and traditional generators retiring, it's critical we get the Standard right. I encourage all stakeholders to engage with this review to help shape a resilient and secure energy future,’’ Mr Jordan said.

Submissions close 30 January 2025. The AEMC welcomes input from all stakeholders on this important review.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

AEMC announces reappointments and new vacancy on Reliability Panel

19 September 2024

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) today announced an update on the composition of the Reliability Panel, including two reappointments and the commencement of a process to fill a vacancy for a Market Customer representative.

Peter Price and Melissa Perrow reappointed

Peter Price from Energy Queensland and Melissa Perrow from Brickworks have been reappointed to the Reliability Panel, continuing their roles as Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP) representative and discretionary member representing large energy users, respectively.

AEMC Commissioner Tim Jordan, who chairs the Reliability Panel, said ''we are delighted to have Peter and Melissa continue their valuable work on the Panel. Their expertise and experience are crucial in our efforts to maintain a safe, secure, and reliable national electricity system.''

Mr Price, Chief Engineer at Energy Queensland, brings over 40 years of electricity industry experience to the role. He also serves on the Queensland Energy System Advisory Board and chairs Energy Skills Queensland. He has served on the Reliability Panel since 2021.

Ms Perrow, General Manager of Energy at Brickworks Limited, is responsible for managing the energy needs of large energy users. She is board member of the Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) and has been an active participant in Major Energy Users (MEU). She has served on the Reliability Panel since 2021.

Call for nominations from Market Customers for Reliability Panel representative

Following the resignation of Keith Robertson, the AEMC is now seeking nominations for a new Market Customer representative on the Reliability Panel.

''We express our sincerest gratitude to Keith Robertson for his valuable contributions over the past five years,'' said Mr Jordan.

''We now invite eligible executive-level employees from Registered Market Customers to put themselves forward for this crucial role.''

Key points about the nomination process:

The position is open to executive-level employees of Registered Market Customers
The appointment is for a three-year term
Nominees must have support from at least one-third of Registered Market Customers
Market Customers will vote on proposed candidates

About the Reliability Panel

The Reliability Panel plays a key role in supporting a safe, secure and reliable national electricity system and is responsible for recommending the reliability standard and market settings, such as the market price cap.

The Panel is currently chaired by AEMC Commissioner Tim Jordan and comprises representatives from various sectors of the energy industry, including consumer groups, generators, network businesses, technology developers, retailers, and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Interested parties should contact Victoria Mollard, Executive General Manager – Economics and System Security (02) 8296 7872 or victoria.mollard@aemc.gov.au or visit our Reliability Panel page.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

The AEMC welcomes a new TNSP representative to the Reliability Panel

30 May 2024

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Stewart Bell from Powerlink Queensland as the new Transmission Network Service Provider (TNSP) representative on the Reliability Panel.

Dr Bell’s appointment follows a rigorous nomination and voting process outlined in the National Electricity Rules, which involved seeking feedback from all eleven registered TNSPs.

With over three decades of experience in the electricity industry, Dr Bell has been responsible for planning the Queensland transmission network since 2012.

During his tenure, Powerlink has enabled over 7 GW of renewable generation and storage projects. Currently, Dr Bell serves as the Executive General Manager of Network and Business Development at Powerlink Queensland.

The AEMC would like to express its sincere gratitude to the outgoing Panel member, Stephen Clark from TasNetworks, for his invaluable contributions to the Reliability Panel over recent years.

For more information about the appointment process for the TNSP representative to the Reliability Panel, please refer to the National Electricity Rules.

To learn more about the current members of the Reliability Panel, please visit our website.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au.

Annual Market Performance Review for FY2023

02 May 2024

The Annual Market Performance Review of the National Electricity Market (NEM) for the 2022 - 23 financial year is underway.

The review, carried out by the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) Reliability Panel, will evaluate the power system's performance against key reliability, security, and safety measures, providing essential information, insights, and analysis for energy market participants.

The Panel will gather data from various sources, including the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and the Australian Energy Regulator, jurisdictional regulators, and other market participants, to conduct its assessment.

The review is carried out in accordance with the standing Terms of Reference set by the AEMC.

The Panel aims to publish the completed review by 27 June 2024.

Please visit the project page for more information and contact details, should you have any queries about the review.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au

Call for nominations from TNSPs for Reliability Panel representative

28 March 2024

Registered Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSPs) are encouraged to submit their nominations for a new member to represent their Registered Participant Class on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) Reliability Panel. The Reliability Panel plays a key role in supporting a safe, secure and reliable national electricity system and is responsible for recommending the reliability standard and market settings, such as the market price cap.

The Panel also establishes technical standards and guidelines in line with the National Electricity Rules, including the frequency operating standard.

The Panel is currently chaired by AEMC Commissioner Charles Popple and includes a range of market participants from consumer groups, generators, network businesses, developers of new technology, retailers and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

The current representative for TNSPs, Stephen Clark, has recently resigned from his role on the Panel. Any executive-level employee who works for a Registered TNSP is eligible and may put themselves forward to represent the TNSP class.

A TNSP representative will be appointed for a term of three years. Submissions for nominations will close 5pm AEDT, 15 April 2024.

The AEMC is required under the National Electricity Rules (clause 8.8.2) to appoint a TNSP representative that has the support of at least one-third of Registered Generators.

TNSPs have been directly notified of the opportunity to submit a nomination and, following nominations, Registered TNSPs will be asked to vote on proposed candidates.

To find out more, please contact Victoria Mollard, Executive General Manager – Economics and System Security (02) 8296 7872 or victoria.mollard@aemc.gov.au or visit our Reliability Panel page.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au.

Reliability Panel to apply new emissions reduction objective

12 October 2023

The Reliability Panel will apply an emissions reduction objective in its day-to-day duties including development of standards, guidelines, reports and recommendations for the energy market, with the release of a guide for decision-making today.

Publication of the guide follows the passing and gazettal of the Emissions Reduction Objectives Bill 2023 in South Australian parliament on 14 June to cement the emissions reduction component in the National Electricity Objective.

This component will now be considered in the Reliability Panel’s work, alongside existing National Electricity Objective criteria that already guide the Panel’s work, such as price, quality, safety, reliability and security.

Delivered in support of the change, the formal guidance outlines how the Panel will apply the new objective in its decision-making process and when making recommendations in reviews.

Where the Panel has decided to, or, is otherwise required to consider the National Electricity Objective in making a recommendation or determination, it will consider impacts on emissions reduction targets with reference to government and Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) guidance.

This includes the AEMC’s guide on how it will apply an emissions reduction objective, which was published on 22 September.

The Reliability Panel will retain the flexibility to apply emissions guidance to specific emissions guidance to specific reviews and determinations as it considers appropriate.

Stakeholders were consulted and provided feedback in the development of the Reliability Panel guide.

The Panel thanks stakeholders for their meaningful contributions, which have helped to shape the document and make the final guidance possible.

Visit the project page for more information and contact details.

About the Reliability Panel

The Reliability Panel forms part of the AEMC’s institutional setup and has functions and powers assigned to it within the National Electricity Law (NEL).

It is the responsibility of the Reliability Panel to monitor, review and report on the safety, security and reliability of the national electricity system plus perform any other functions or powers under the NEL or National Electricity Rules (NER).

The Panel is comprised of members who represent a range of participants in the National Electricity Market, including small and large consumers, generators, network businesses, retailers and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

The Panel determines the standards and some of the guidelines used by AEMO and other market participants which help to maintain a secure and reliable power system for consumers.

Media enquiries: Jessica Rich 0459 918 964 or media@aemc.gov.au

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