The CEC supports the proponent’s proposed changes to the NER to expand the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) authority and requirement that it give more complete and detailed consideration of gas infrastructure in its Integrated System Plan (ISP) analysis; improve AEMO’s ability to analyse the uptake, availability and value of consumer energy resources to allow for better integration of demand-side factors in the grid; and ensure the ISP gives regard to known community concerns or sensitive locations in setting the parameters for projects.
Enabling and obligating AEMO to update its ISP methodology and analysis to undertake and incorporate gas market analysis, including the cost of gas infrastructure investments, would support meeting the National Energy Objectives (NEO) in several ways compared to the current ISP approach more fully.”