The AEMC has published its final rule determination and rule on the Publication of Zone Substation Data rule change request. A new rule has been introduced to the National Electricity Rules (NER) which requires Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) to make historical zone substation information on electricity loads available on request to interested parties.

The rule commences on 13 March 2014. However, a DNSP’s obligations under the rule is to commence on the date that it is required to publish its first Distribution Annual Planning Report (DAPR) after the rule commences.
The dates by which DNSPs are required to publish their DAPRs vary by jurisdiction. DNSPs in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory are required to publish their DAPRs by 31 December. DNSPs in Queensland are required to publish their DAPRs by 30 September. DNSPs in Tasmania are required to publish their DAPRs by 30 June.

The key features of the rule are:

• DNSPs are required to provide historical zone substation load information to interested parties on request;
• the data is to be provided by DNSPs in its raw form, and only where it is available;
• interested parties may request zone substation information as a once only report (i.e. containing data for the ten reporting years prior to the commencement date of the rule, and/or an annual report (i.e. containing data for the most recently completed reporting year);
• information recipients are required to acknowledge that the data is raw and has not been validated for quality or accuracy, and it has limitations;
• DNSPs are not required to provide data, if in the reasonable opinion of the DNSP, that information is confidential or commercially-sensitive to a third party; and
• any fee charged to interested parties for the information must not exceed the reasonable costs anticipated to be incurred by the DNSP in providing the data.

The Commission’s determination and final rule have been informed by public consultation; including stakeholder submissions and discussions with the National Generators Forum (NGF) and the Energy Networks Association on key parameters and requirements for zone substation data.

Background

The NGF submitted a rule change request that sought amendments to the NER that would require DNSPs to annually publish on their websites, historical electricity load data for their networks at the zone substation level. Zone substations form part of the electricity distribution system and connect the higher voltage sub-transmission network with the lower voltage distribution network.

Consultation process

On 26 April 2013, the AEMC published a rule change request from the NGF and a consultation paper to facilitate stakeholder feedback.

Submissions on the consultation paper closed on 24 May 2013. Twenty submissions were received.

On 1 August 2013, the AEMC extended by four months the period of time in which to make a draft rule determination, under section 107 of the National Electricity Law. The reason for the extension was to allow time for the NGF to investigate the quality of the data that is currently able to be produced by DNSPs and its fitness for purpose.

On 5 December 2013, the AEMC published its draft rule determination and draft rule. Submissions on the draft rule determination closed on 30 January 2014. Seven submissions were received.

All submissions received during the consultation process are available on the AEMC’s website.