The Australian Energy Market Commission will hold a public forum webinar from 11:00 am to 12:00pm (AEDT) on 29 August 2023 to discuss the Enhancing community engagement in transmission building rule change draft determination.

The purpose of the forum is to provide an overview of the draft determination and provide stakeholders the opportunity to ask questions.

Interested stakeholders can register for the forum here by 25 August 2023.

For information contact:

Project lead: viashin.govender@aemc.gov.au

Project sponsor: alisa.toomey@aemc.gov.au

The Australian Energy Market Commission is hosting a virtual public forum on 6 July from 12.30 - 1.30 PM (AEST). This will follow on from the publication of the consultation paper for the Compensation and dispute resolution framework rule change, which covers the National Gas Rules (NGR).

The forum will set out the proposed rule change request and the rule change process. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide their views on the questions detailed in the paper and to ask questions.

Please register below.

For more information please contact Patrick Loughrey.

The Australian Energy Market Commission is hosting a virtual public forum on 26 June at 11 am (AEST). This will follow on from the publication of consultation papers addressing concessional finance and financeability for transmission infrastructure projects.

The forum will set out the proposed rule change request and the rule change process. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide their views on the questions detailed in the paper and to ask questions. 

Please register below.

For more information on:

• Accommodating financeability in the regulatory framework please contact Andrew Pirie
• Concessional Finance for Transmission Network Service Providers please contact Chirine Dada

On 24 February, Ministers agreed a way forward on the complex issue of transmission access reform. Ministers agreed to immediately implement ‘enhanced information’ reforms to provide east-coast market participants with better information on the optimal location for new generation and storage. Ministers requested the Energy Security Board (ESB) to work with Senior Officials and stakeholders to develop the voluntary Congestion Relief Market (CRM) and the priority access model and to bring forward a detailed design for consideration by Ministers in mid-2023. Ministers decided not to further develop or consider the congestion management model and congestion fee options.

The project update summarises submissions to the Directions Paper and further modelling undertaken by the ESB, and sets out the proposed process going forward. Accompanying documents include the cost benefit analysis and detailed modelling which identify a substantial net benefit associated with transmission access reform, and show the complexity and risks to the efficient operation of the market under the current design as we transition to a low carbon future.

The ESB will continue to engage with stakeholders on the detailed design of the hybrid model, with a view of submitting final policy recommendations to Ministers in mid-2023.

This joint public forum will provide stakeholders with an update on next steps for the project, an overview of the modelling and cost benefit analysis, and provide an opportunity to participate in a Q&A.  

Please note log-in details for the webinar will be circulated via email once registration is closed.

Registration closes: Wednesday, 22 March 2023 1pm (AEDT)

The AEMC would like to invite stakeholders to an online public forum on the consultation paper for the Unlocking CER Benefits through Flexible Trading rule change. 

The purpose of this forum is to answer questions about the consultation paper to assist any interested stakeholders in drafting submissions, which are due 16 February.  

In light of this, the forum will be focused on a Q&A format – we will assume that attendees have read the consultation paper in advance, and use the majority of the time for questions from stakeholders. 

In addition to raising questions during the forum, we encourage stakeholders to submit questions in advance, by email to Jessica.Curtis@aemc.gov.au no later than midday AEDT, Friday 3 February.  

We note for attendees that we are still at the consultation stage, and therefore will not have any updated Commission views to share during the forum.  

The public forum will be held virtually, a confirmation Zoom link will be sent via email prior to the event. Please register your interest by completing the form below by midday AEDT Friday 3 February 2023. 

Visit the project page for the consultation paper, AEMO’s rule change and contact details for the project.  

Electric vehicle (EV) charging is set to transform our electricity systems. There is broad consensus that EV integration presents both major opportunities and challenges for the electricity grid. Currently, networks and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) do not have access to reliable data on the size, location, and characteristics of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to enable them to determine and manage these opportunities and challenges effectively.

This webinar will provide an overview of the rationale and options for capturing ‘standing data’ for new EVSE installations presented within the consultation paper, and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to participate in an open Q&A.

Please note: log-in details for the webinar will be circulated via email once registration is closed.

Registration closes: Tuesday 13 December 2022, 5 pm AEDT

The Reliability Panel will be holding a public forum for the Review of the Frequency operating standard on Thursday 15 December between 9.30 am and 11.30 am (AEDT). This public forum will follow on from the publication of a draft determination on 8 December 2022.

The frequency operating standard defines the range of allowable frequency for the power system under different conditions, including normal operation as well as after events that occur that can impact the power system. 

The review is examining the appropriateness of the settings in light of the ongoing energy market transformation, as conventional synchronous generation is progressively replaced by inverter-based technologies such as wind, solar and batteries. 

The agenda for the public forum will encompass: 

• An overview of the Panel’s draft determination
• A presentation by GHD advisory on the findings from the analysis and advice it undertook to inform the Panel’s draft determination.
• A presentation by AEMO on its  technical advice to the Panel.
• Opportunities for stakeholder Q&A.

Please register your interest by completing the form below by COB Monday 12 December 2022.

The energy transition can be delivered more cheaply and quickly if new generators and storage connect in places that facilitate the full benefit of all these resources coming into the national power system. To achieve this, Energy Ministers have asked the ESB to develop a detailed design for a reformed transmission access regime that delivers coordinated transmission and generation investment.

On 10 November 2022, the ESB published a directions paper that sets out the ESB’s preliminary thinking on the model design that we could ultimately recommend to Ministers. The model is designed to incorporate stakeholders’ ideas in a way that best promotes the access reform objectives, in the overall interests of consumers. There are two key variants, which reflect two different ways of signalling efficient investment locations to prospective investors:

• Priority access – this option establishes a queue in the event of bids being tied at the market price floor to prioritise access to the regional reference price (RRP)
• Congestion fees – the option leverages the transmission planning process to administer fees that reflect the level of available hosting capacity for new generation.

The choice between priority access and congestion fees represents a fork in the road for the development of the model. In addition, the ESB seeks stakeholder views on a range of detailed design choices to be included within our recommendations to Ministers. 

Stakeholder feedback in response to the directions paper will inform the ESB as it develops a draft preferred model. The purpose of this technical forum is to give stakeholders the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and to discuss the design choices associated with the hybrid model.

Please note log-in details for the webinar will be circulated via email once registration is closed.

Registration closes: Friday 2 December 2022, 12 noon AEDT.

The Australian Energy Market Commission would like to involve stakeholders in a public forum about a recent draft report for the Review of the regulatory framework for metering services. This public forum would facilitate stakeholder engagement with the 20 recommendations and earn feedback on the decision.

The public forum will be held virtually on 01 December from 2:00pm to 3.30pm AEDT. A confirmation zoom link will be sent via email closer to the event. Registrations close on 25 November. 

Visit the project page for more information and contact details.