The Panel is comprised of members who represent a range of participants in the national electricity market, including consumer groups, generators, network businesses, retailers and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Panel members are selected on the basis of their direct interests in the reliability of electricity supply and the process set out under the National Electricity Rules (NER). Consideration is also given to balancing Panel membership representation according to geographical location and participating jurisdictions.

The AEMC appoints members to the Panel for a period of up to three years. Members are appointed in consultation with industry, end use consumers and consumer groups.

Members who are appointed to represent ‘Registered Participants’ must be agreed to by at least one third of the category of Registered Participant they represent (for example, generator, market customer, network service provider).

The NER require that the Panel is comprised of the following membership:

  • An AEMC Commissioner (appointed for three years);
  • The Chief Executive Officer or delegate of AEMO;
  • Four members that represent Registered Participants including:
    • Generators;
    • Market Customers;
    • Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSP);
    • Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSP);
  • A person representing the interests of end use customers for electricity.

The AEMC has some discretion to appoint up to three members who may have expertise in areas that are not otherwise represented by other Panel members.

Current panel members

Mr Charles Popple (Chair)

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Organisation: Chair and AEMC Commissioner

Market segment: AEMC

Mr Popple, Commissioner at the AEMC, has spent more than four decades in the energy network sector. In the 1990s he played a significant role in the development of the National Electricity Market including reform of the network sector and the implementation of transmission system planning and pricing arrangements. He has also held management roles with Victorian Power Exchange, VENCorp, SPI PowerNet and SP AusNet. As a consultant, his focus was on energy markets and regulatory arrangements, with a view to achieving a balance between security, environmental challenges, and competitive pricing and products for energy consumers. Charles has a Bachelor of Engineering from Monash University and a Master of Engineering Science in power system engineering from the University of Melbourne.

Term expiry: 10 June 2024

Tim Jordan (Acting Chair) 

Organisation: Australian Energy Market Commission  

Market Segment: AEMC 

Mr Jordan, Commissioner at the AEMC, is an economist with more than 15 years’ experience in the energy transition. He has worked across corporate strategy, investment and public policy in energy and climate change and has held senior roles in management consulting, at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, at Deutsche Bank, and in the Australian Government. Tim has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland. He also has an MPhil from University College London, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar, and a Master of Economics from the University of Sydney. 

Term expiry: 10 June 2024 

Stephen Clark

Organisation: Project Director - Marinus Link, TasNetworks

Market segment: Transmission Network Service Providers

Mr Clark, Project Director - Marinus Link at TasNetworks, is the transmission network service provider representative on the Panel. Mr Clark is responsible for the engineering and project delivery of Marinus Link a 1500 MW HVDC interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria. He has 30 years experience in the electricity sector and has held executive management positions responsible for transmission system planning, asset management and project delivery.

Term expiry: 17 Dec 2024

 

Joel Gilmore

Organisation: General Manager Energy Policy & Planning, Iberdrola Australia

Market segment: Discretionary 

Dr Joel Gilmore is the General Manager Energy Policy & Planning at Iberdrola Australia, with over a decade of experience in market design, market modelling, and technical and economic analysis of integrating renewable energy into the grid. In addition to engaging on policy design, he also leads Iberdrola’s long-term market modelling team and develops business cases for both renewable and firming assets. He was previously a Senior Manager at EY/ROAM Consulting, managing projects such as modelling and design for the Victorian Renewable Energy Target, and has held roles with Queensland Government and AEMO. Joel is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University Business School, has published in international peer-reviewed journals in both physics and energy, and is a passionate science communicator across a range of media.

Term expiry: 17 December 2024

 

Ken Harper

Organisation: Group Manager Operational Support, AEMO

Market segment: AEMO

Ken Harper is Group Manager - Operational Support at AEMO, responsible for operational forecasting, planning power system operations up to seven days ahead, congestion and grid modelling, and training of gas and electricity operators. He has more than 25 years’ experience in developing, analysing and operating energy trading operations, having worked at Marsden Jacob Associates, Alinta Energy, Delta Electricity, Snowy Hydro, Red Energy and EnergyAustralia.

Term expiry: N/A

Craig Memery

Organisation: Project team leader – Energy + Water Consumer’s Advocacy Program, PIAC

Market segment: End use customer of electricity

Craig Memery has represented energy users for the last decade, and now leads the PIAC’s Energy and Water Consumer Advocacy Program. The program promotes access to affordable, sustainable energy and water for NSW households, through improvements in policy, regulation and markets that benefit all energy users and targeted supporting measures for people facing hardship and disadvantage. Mr Memery is also a board member of the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW and Co-chair, NSW Government Renewable Energy Sector Board.

Term expiry: 30 Jun 2026

 

Melissa Perrow

Organisation: General Manager Energy at Brickworks Limited

Market segment: Discretionary

Melissa is the General Manager Energy at Brickworks Limited. She is responsible for managing the energy needs as a large user of electricity and gas. Melissa has 20 years of wholesale energy trading experience gained across electricity, gas, carbon and green markets having previously worked for Origin Energy and AGL. She holds a Bachelor in Applied Science, a Bachelor of Business, a Graduate Diploma in Technology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance

Term expiry: 31 September 2024

 

Peter Price

Organisation: Head of Corporate Strategy and Executive General Manager Asset Safety and Performance at Energy Queensland

Market segment: Distribution Network Service Providers

Peter Price is the Head of Corporate Strategy and Executive General Manager Asset Safety and Performance at Energy Queensland. Peter is responsible for leading Energy Queensland’s engineering and asset management strategies, which includes the safe and efficient management of the Group’s electricity distribution networks.

Prior to joining Energy Queensland, Peter was a member of Energex’s executive management team for ten years. His career with Energex included managing and leading capital planning and program delivery, asset management, procurement, regulatory issues and the growth of new commercial businesses. 

Term expiry: 31 September 2024

Keith Robertson

Organisation: General Manager Wholesale Risk and DER, Origin Energy

Market segment: Market customers

Keith Robertson is the General Manager Wholesale Risk and DER at Origin Energy. Mr Robertson is responsible for advocating for effective wholesale, retail and environmental market regulations at Origin Energy. He has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector and has held senior positions in strategy and development, energy trading and sales and marketing. 

Term expiry: 31 December 2025

Rachele Williams

Organisation: Plenary Group  

Market Segment: Discretionary  

Rachele Williams is a Director, at the Plenary Group. Ms Williams has over 20 years of experience working in both industry and government in the energy sector including roles as Senior Energy Adviser for the Energy Security Board (ESB), Senior Adviser to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction and CEO associated at TransGrid. She specialises in innovation and has extensive experience in emerging technology and has worked on fuel cell, small-scale wind turbines, distributed energy and storage projects. Ms Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wollongong and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Technology, Sydney.  

Term expiry: 29 September 2025 

Damien Sanford 

Organisation: Executive General Manager, Tilt Renewables.

Market segment: Generators

Damien Sanford is the Executive General Manager of Operations at Tilt Renewables. Mr Sanford is responsible for the asset management, generation and trading of Tilt Renewables existing 1.7 GW portfolio of generation across QLD, NSW, Victoria and SA. He has more than two decades of experience in the energy sector and has held senior positions in infrastructure development, energy grid and market operations, and business development. Mr Sanford has a Bachelor of Business Management from Southern Cross University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Term expiry: 1 June 2026