The Australian Energy Market Commission today published a final rule to harmonise the start of the gas day in markets across the eastern seaboard from 2021.

 

The new gas day rule will apply across different facilitated markets governed by the National Gas Rules. Under the final rule the gas day in each market location will start at 6am Australian Eastern Standard Time.

 

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council agreed in August 2016 to the AEMC’s roadmap to implement the ministers’ vision for an integrated east coast gas market. A common gas day across the facilitated markets will support new market arrangements proposed by that review which are currently being progressed by the Gas Market Reform Group established by the energy ministers.

 

The current reform program indicates the development of the market to standardise capacity contracts and incorporate short term secondary pipeline capacity trading and auctions is expected to be completed by around the middle of 2021. Changes to the gas day under the final rule will be coordinated with these reforms.

 

Different gas markets across the east coast currently operate with different gas day start times as a result of legacy pipeline arrangements. These differences impose a cost on the increasingly integrated system.

 

 

Media contact: AEMC Communication Director, Prudence Anderson 0404 821 935 or (02) 8296 7817 16 February 2017