The Reliability Panel has received a request from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to revoke the South Australian destructive winds protected event.

AEMO proposes that this type of event instead be managed through the contingency reclassification framework and the Panel intends to assess this request under the expedited rules consultation process.

The Reliability Panel is responsible for declaring and revoking protected events in response to a request from AEMO and is tasked with determining if there are net economic benefits in taking pre-emptive actions to manage a non-credible contingency event as a protected event.  

The ‘SA protected event’ is a specific application of the protected event framework that was declared by the Reliability Panel in 2018. It allows AEMO to manage the heightened risk to the South Australian power system due to destructive winds such as those that lead to the state-wide “System Black” event that occurred in South Australia on the 28 September 2016. 

While the classification has allowed AEMO to take steps to constrain the amount of power being imported into South Australia on the interconnector during destructive winds, AEMO has indicated a preference to instead use the revised ‘contingency re-classification’ framework, implemented in 2022.

AEMO considers there will be no negative consequences as a result of the removal of the SA protected event classification and considers it can better manage the event under the 2022 contingency reclassification framework.

If approved the revocation of the SA protected event, would allow for AEMO and transmission network service provider ElectraNet to update their respective operational arrangements to reflect the changed network configuration following the synchronisation of stage 1 of transmission project Project Energy Connect (PEC), planned for late 2023.

The Panel will publish a draft determination on 22 June 2023 to assist stakeholders interested in the proposal. 

The draft determination will outline factors the Panel considered to determine whether the request be treated under an expedited process. A decision to expedite the process does not indicate a Reliability Panel position on the substance of the request by AEMO to revoke the protected event.

Stakeholders can object to the protected event assessment being made under an expedited process. The formal opportunity to object to this process will commence upon the publication of the draft determination. The Panel wishes to flag its intention to stakeholders of this process; however. We request that any stakeholders who have questions or are concerned about this process contact AEMC staff directly. 

The draft determination will include a step-by-step guide for those considering lodging an objection. Please note, there are only 10 business days to object from the date the draft determination is published. 

Visit the project page for more information and contact details.

Media: Jessica Rich, 0459 918 964, media@aemc.gov.au