The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has amended distribution network planning and reporting arrangements so that they remain fit for purpose as consumer energy resources (CER), including rooftop solar and home batteries, become an increasingly important part of Australia's energy system.

On 16 July 2026, the AEMC published a final determination and a more preferable final rule in response to a rule change request from Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) to enhance distribution network planning and reporting. It does this by:

1. Replacing the annual planning process with a distribution network development plan (DNDP), supported by an annual update.
    
2. Implementing a separate framework for distribution network data reporting.

Our final rule will lead to greater transparency of long term distribution network plans

The Commission considers that greater transparency of both the current and future state of distribution networks will support more efficient investment decisions by DNSPs, consumers, non-network providers and other stakeholders. The final rule will improve visibility of future network needs, anticipated constraints and opportunities for investment and innovation across distribution networks. It will achieve this by requiring distribution network service providers (DNSPs) to:  

• Prepare a DNDP for their network using a 20 year planning horizon and scenario analysis, to be published with their regulatory proposals once every 5 years.
• Publish a targeted annual update that provides transparency on key changes to planning outcomes in the previous year and since the DNDP was published.

This will help consumers and other stakeholders better understand how network conditions may affect future investments and identify opportunities to participate in the energy transition. The improved planning approach will also allow DNSPs to proactively identify the parts of their networks that are most likely to face challenges, and develop long term plans to address them.  

Our final rule will enhance distribution network data reporting

The final rule requires the AER to improve visibility on the state of distribution networks by preparing guidelines prescribing network data that distribution network service providers must publish.  

When preparing the guidelines the AER must consider:

• how its guidelines could improve visibility on the state of distribution networks  
• the net economic benefits of its guidelines;  
• how confidential and private information can be protected.  

The AER must also consider existing reporting obligations on DNSPs, to minimise duplication and encourage streamlined reporting.

The new data reporting framework will improve access to more consistent distribution network data across the National Electricity Market. It will also ensure that the publication of distribution network data is responsive to changes in data requirements and technology during the energy transformation. This will support more informed decisions by consumers and their agents, and improve visibility of network capacity and constraints that may affect energy use and CER investments.  

Together, the reforms will support more efficient planning and use of distribution networks, improve opportunities for non-network solutions and facilitate the ongoing integration of CER into the energy system.

Context

ECA’s rule change request and the Commission’s rule change process identified that increasing levels of CER are creating both challenges and opportunities for distribution network planning. Distribution businesses are increasingly managing two-way energy flows, changing demand patterns and growing interest in non-network solutions. At the same time, stakeholders require better access to information about network conditions and future development plans.

The Commission identified two key issues with the existing framework:

1. the existing planning framework is not well suited to long-term distribution planning in a high-CER future, and
    
2. stakeholders do not have sufficient visibility of distribution networks, particularly parts of the low-voltage network.

The final rule addresses these issues through a new long-term planning framework and a new distribution network data reporting framework.

Stakeholder input shaped the final determination

Stakeholder feedback received throughout the consultation process informed our final rule. The Commission received submissions from market bodies, DNSPs, retailers, industry associations, consumer organisations, community groups, technology providers and individual stakeholders.

Stakeholders broadly supported the proposed reforms. Many stakeholders considered that they would improve transparency, support better coordination with broader energy system planning and provide greater visibility of current and future distribution network needs and opportunities.

A number of stakeholders proposed refinements to the draft rule. Some considered the proposed purpose of the DNDP should better reflect the role of the new planning framework and the broad range of stakeholders it is intended to inform. DNSPs and Energy Networks Australia raised concerns regarding the timing of annual updates and proposed alternative publication arrangements. Other stakeholders sought stronger clarification regarding implementation of the data reporting framework, transitional arrangements and treatment of low-voltage network data.

In response to stakeholder feedback, the Commission:

• amended the purpose of the DNDP to better reflect its role in providing long-term visibility and supporting efficient decisions and investment opportunities
• modified the annual update publication arrangements  
• clarified our expectations regarding the implementation of the data reporting framework, including transitional arrangements
• clarified that low-voltage network data is within the scope of the data reporting framework.