In October 2015 the AEMC provided advice to the COAG Energy Council on introducing a shared market protocol to define a standard for electronic communications between parties using advanced meters. This would facilitate the establishment of a competitive market for new energy services.

The advice recommended a shared market protocol be implemented by updating the existing business to business (B2B) arrangements in the National Electricity Rules to provide for parties using advanced metering services.

Following publication of that advice we received rule change requests from the COAG Energy Council and market participants Red Energy and Lumo Energy, to update the business-to-business (B2B) communications framework in the National Electricity Rules.

The AEMC decided to consolidate these rule change requests as they seek to address similar issues. Consolidation will allow these issues to be considered through a single rule change process.

Stakeholders are invited to make submissions on the consolidated rule change requests by 28 January 2015.

The rule proponents are seeking to update the B2B framework to provide for the different types of services that will be available through advanced meters and the wider range of participants that may wish to communicate with each other regarding these services. This is also expected to maximise the benefits for consumers from other market reforms, such as the new competitive metering framework

The consolidated rule change requests form part of the market-wide energy reform program called Power of Choice, which is facilitating more efficient prices signals; allowing customers to choose from a wider range of energy services; and giving them the information they need to choose the electricity services that suit them best.

Consideration of the role of enabling technologies, such as advanced meters, have been an important part of this work, along with the Open Access Review undertaken by the AEMC in April 2014. The recommendations from the Open Access Review formed a first step to establishing a competitive market for the services enabled by advanced meters and led to the shared market protocol advice.

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