The Commission published a Statement of Approach in relation a request from the COAG Energy Council that it implements a biennial regime to report on a set of drivers that could impact on future transmission and generation investment.

This follows the Energy Council writing to the AEMC in February 2016 stating that it supported the AEMC’s recommendations in the final report for the Optional Firm Access, Design and Testing review to implement a biennial regime to report on drivers of change that impact transmission frameworks. It therefore directed the AEMC to implement such a regime and provided a terms of reference in relation to this.

In response to receiving this terms of reference, the Commission has prepared a Statement of Approach, which sets out our proposed methodology and approach to consultation that we will adopt in conducting this biennial reporting.

As set out in the terms of reference, we must publish the Stage 1 report at least every two years. We therefore propose to commence the reporting in January 2017. The reporting will then proceed on the basis set out in the terms of reference.