Improving Grid Accessibility

The Australian Government has worked with states and territories to identify and act on specific rule changes required in the National Electricity Market (NEM) to maximise the benefits of distributed (including renewable energy) generation. Work to date has focussed on addressing barriers when establishing new national distribution regulatory frameworks.

In January 2008, a new framework for the economic regulation of distribution was established. From mid-2012, a new national distribution connections framework will progressively be adopted in each jurisdiction, which will streamline the processes for many embedded generators working with distribution business to establish a network connection. The new rules address issues such as the process for seeking a connection, the timelines involved, the framework for negotiations between the parties, principles governing the cost of establishing a connection, and the minimum content needed in a connection contract.

Also in 2012, new rules are being considered for distribution network planning and expansion, which will improve availability of information on network capacity and constraints for distributed generators and other demand side proponents.

Separately, several new rules addressing renewable energy integration issues have been implemented including: technical connection standards for wind generation (2007); and central-dispatch arrangements for wind and other intermittent generation (2008). A rule on Scale Efficient Network Extensions (2011) requires transmission businesses to undertake and publish, on request, specific locational studies to reveal to the market potential opportunities for efficiency gains from the coordinated connecttion of expected new generators in a particular area, such as a renewables development area.

A broader review of the national transmission framework was made in 2012.

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more