On 6 November 2014, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) published its decision whether to exercise the last resort planning power for 2014. The Commission has determined not to exercise its last resort planning powers in 2014.

The last resort planning power conferred on the AEMC complements the transmission planning responsibilities of AEMO and jurisdictional planning bodies. Being a last resort mechanism, the last resort planning power is designed to be utilised only where there is a clear indication that regular planning processes have resulted in a gap in the planning of inter-regional transmission infrastructure.

The rules require the AEMC to report on the exercise of the last resort planning power annually.

In order to assess the need to exercise the last resort planning power, the AEMC has reviewed a number of planning documents. These include the 2013 National Transmission Network Development Plan (NTNDP) published by AEMO, and the annual planning reports of the various planning bodies, typically the relevant transmission businesses, for each region of the National Electricity Market.

As the Commission did not find a lack of planning activity for inter-regional transmission infrastructure, it has decided not to exercise the last resort planning power in 2014.