The Australian Energy Market's annual report for 2010-2011 was tabled in December and is now available on our website.

The year under review was particularly significant for the AEMC. The Clean Energy Future legislation, the effects of the global financial crisis and the need for major investment in energy infrastructure have all moved our work to the centre of public and policy attention on energy markets and prices.

These issues will remain with us over the next few years at least. They form the focus of our 2011 Strategic Priorities for Energy Market Development paper. A significant and growing component of our work program has been directly relevant to addressing these challenges. We continue to see a substantial increase in engagement levels associated with our formal consultations for rule requests and reviews. Not only have we seen increased numbers of submissions overall - we have also noted a widening agenda of issues raised by those submissions.

In his annual review, AEMC Chairman, John Pierce, said the organisation's operating environment continued to test the organisation's capacity for comprehensively researched and well-informed advice to governments.

"Every day our professional policy groups demonstrate their skill at reconciling engineering and physical system realities with economic policy objectives and also with commercial and financial imperatives, Mr Pierce said. "I would like to thank the AEMC commissioners, management and staff for the contributions they have made to improving the functioning of the energy market and deepening understanding of how government policy will affect our energy future."

For information contact:

AEMC Chief Executive, Steven Graham (02) 8296 7800

Media: Communication Manager, Prudence Anderson 0404 821 935 or (02) 8296 7817