The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has extended the time for making a draft determination and draft rule on how dedicated connection assets (DCAs) operate in the national electricity market.

A DCA is a privately owned and operated asset – such as a power line – that connects market participants such as generators and large energy users with the shared transmission network at a single connection point.

This extension of time for the Connection to dedicated connection assets rule change is necessary due to the complexity of issues raised by the rule change request, requiring the Commission to undertake additional, detailed analysis. The draft determination and draft rule will now be published on 20 August 2020.

The extension will also allow the Commission to conduct additional stakeholder consultation, in the form of a stakeholder webinar to be held on 7 July 2020. Stakeholders are invited to register their interest in attending the webinar here.

Submissions to the consultation paper

On 5 March 2020 the AEMC published a consultation paper based on a rule change request from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Submissions closed on 2 April 2020.

The Commission received 17 submissions from a range of stakeholders, including project developers, transmission network service providers (TNSPs), network service provider affiliates, peak industry bodies and government bodies.

Stakeholder submissions expressed general support for changes to the current framework for DCAs to facilitate the sharing and better utilisation of these assets. However, stakeholder submissions also pointed to the complexity of the issues raised by the rule change request and expressed some concerns with AEMO’s proposed solution. All submissions are published on the project page on our website.

Media: Kellie Bisset, Media and Content Manager, 0438 490041 or (02) 8296 7813