The Australian Energy Market Commission has made a final rule to clarify the Australian Energy Market Operator’s role in coordinating infrastructure maintenance in Victoria’s wholesale gas market. 

The rule change also removes minor inconsistencies within the National Gas Rules (NGR).

The final rule:

• Introduces a consistent standard for system security across the Victorian Declared Wholesale Gas Market (DWGM) when evaluating potential threats to system security posed by maintenance activities.
• Incorporates producers into the maintenance coordination processes that currently apply to other asset operators in the DWGM, removing the need for AEMO to issue separate maintenance directions to producers under the National Gas Law (NGL). This will enable better information sharing between asset operators and AEMO to deliver a more responsive system. 
• Simplifies the rules by replacing the need to list the various facilities types with one defined term, 'DWGM facility operator' (a collective term for storage providers, the declared transmission system service provider, interconnected transmission pipeline service providers and producers). 
• Amends the definitions of 'Producer' and 'Storage Provider' in rule 200 of Part 19 of the NGR to make it consistent with the registration categories in rule 135A of Part 15A of the NGR. More clear and consistent rules provide a greater degree of certainty and are easier to interpret and apply.

The final rules come into effect on 22 April 2021.

Media: Kellie Bisset, Media and Content Manager, 0438 490 041