The National Electricity Rules (NER) under clause 3.14.6 and the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) compensation guidelines set out a process for eligible market participants to claim compensation for any losses during an administered pricing period where the administered price cap (APC) or an administered floor price is applied. This page includes information about the administered pricing compensation process. The process is run independently by the AEMC. 

Administered pricing periods

An administered price period occurs when the rolling seven-day average of wholesale spot prices breaches the cumulative prices threshold (CPT).

The CPT is designed to protect customers from extended high price periods. The CPT is based on five-minute prices. As of 1 July 2022, the CPT is set at $1,398,100, and the market price cap (MPC) is $15,500/MWh. Under the NER the MPC and CPT must be adjusted in line with the consumer price index each year. 

The APC was amended as part of the Amending the administered price cap rule change published on 17 November 2022. As a result, from 1 December 2022, during administered price periods, the spot price is collared in the region between the administered floor price of -$600 per MWh and the APC of $600 per MWh. 

Compensation claims made under NER clause 3.14.6 are assessed and determined based on the MPC, CPT, APC, administered floor price and AEMC compensation guidelines that are in place at the time of the relevant administered price period. This may differ from the current versions of NER clause 3.14.6, the MPC, CPT, APC and AEMC compensation guidelines.

Eligibility to claim for compensation

Parties eligible to make a claim for administered pricing compensation are scheduled generators, non-scheduled generators, scheduled network service providers, scheduled loads, ancillary service providers and demand response service providers.

These parties can claim compensation if they supplied energy or other services during an administered pricing period and incurred a net loss. That is, their direct and/or opportunity costs exceeded their total revenue from the spot market over an entire “eligibility period” (the period from the first trading interval of a trading day where the spot price is set by the administered price cap, until the end of that trading day).

Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative opportunity for eligible participants during the application of a price limit event or at a later point in time.

Making a claim

The rules, outlined in the AEMC compensation guidelines set out how participants can make a claim for compensation for direct costs and opportunity costs following the application of an APC. Claims will be assessed in accordance with the statutory timeframes.

The assessment process for direct and opportunity costs is set out in the AEMC compensation guidelines. The process for assessing opportunity costs will take longer than direct cost process as it requires public consultation and consideration of appropriate methodologies for claims. 

If a party decides to make a claim, the following applies:

  • Please read the AEMC compensation guidelines.
  • The claimant must provide notification in writing that it is making a claim within five business days of the end of the administered period event to both: 
  • See below for an example of a claim, however the following applies:
    • This notification in writing will include the:
      • administered price period and price limit event  (Price limit events(s) refer to the actual trading intervals in which the spot price in a relevant region was either set by the administered price cap or reduced by scaling from an upstream region).for which the claim relates.
      • Region in which the administered price period and price limit event applied.
    • The notification will state whether the claim is a direct cost claim or a claim that includes opportunity costs.
    • It is possible to claim direct costs and opportunity costs for the same price limit event.
  • After receiving the notification to make a claim, the AEMC will publish a notice of receipt. The AEMC will then seek information from the claimant that we consider required to enable assessment of the claim - if the claim includes opportunity costs, this information must include the methodology used by the claimant to determine its opportunity costs.
  • The claimant subsequently provides substantiation. The onus is on the claimant to provide evidence and justification. There is no set time period for this step. Any claims of confidentiality in respect of information provided by the claimant to the AEMC must be specified in the claim.
  • The AEMC will commence formal assessment as soon as practicable after receiving sufficient information from the claimant. A notice will be published that formal assessment has started.
  • The compensation processes differ depending on whether the claimant is seeking direct costs only, or also opportunity costs. Claims for opportunity costs will be subject to public consultation. 
  • The AEMC will consult with the claimant before making its determination. The claimant will be notified of the AEMC’s final decision as soon as practical.

The AEMC compensation guidelines set out standard timeframes.

Example of a claim

An example of a valid claim is as follows;

Party: [Registered participant name]

Category of registered participant: [e.g. scheduled generator]

Administered price period and region in which price limit event(s) that applied: [Start date and time, end date and time] in [e.g. NSW]

Type of compensation: [Direct costs/opportunity costs]

The AEMC’s assessment of administered pricing compensation will consider any other compensation claimants have received, such as compensation for directions or compensation due to AEMO intervention events..

Current and historical administered pricing compensation claims

The AEMC has received compensation claims under clause 3.14.6 of the Rules due to the application of the administered price cap on the following occasions:

June 2022

January/February 2009

Compensation claims made under NER clause 3.14.6 are assessed and based on the version of NER clause 3.14.6, CPT, APC and AEMC compensation guidelines in place at the time of the relevant administered pricing event. This may differ from the current versions of NER clause 3.14.6, the  CPT, APC and AEMC compensation guidelines.