Energy Transformation Taskforce Consultation

Forms of Consultation

Consultation with industry, Government and consumer stakeholders will be critical in ensuring the successful delivery of the Energy Transformation Strategy.

The Energy Transformation Taskforce will undertake public consultation processes and hold stakeholder workshops and presentations.

The Taskforce has also established two formal consultation groups.

Program Implementation Coordination Group

The Energy Transformation Strategy has a strong focus on implementing changes to existing network and Wholesale Electricity Market arrangements in the South West Interconnected System. It will therefore be critical for the Taskforce to work collaboratively with Western Power and the Australian Energy Market Operator.

A Program Implementation Coordination Group has been established to facilitate the collaborative, coordinated and timely implementation of the Energy Transformation Strategy. The group will focus on work program coordination at a strategic level.

Membership of the Program Implementation Coordination Group includes:

the Chair of the Energy Transformation Taskforce;
the Program Director of the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit;
a senior representative of the Australian Energy Market Operator; and
a senior representative of Western Power.

Strategic Consultative Group

The Strategic Consultative Group was established by the former Public Utilities Office of the Department of Treasury in August 2018 to inform its Wholesale Electricity Market reform work program.

The Energy Transformation Taskforce will maintain this group in operation, with the Chair role being transferred from the Public Utilities Office to the Taskforce. The purpose of the group will be to provide feedback and guidance to the Taskforce at a strategic and whole of program level.

The group includes broad, senior level representation across the electricity sector. Industry representatives on the group include:

Alinta;
the Australian Energy Council;
the Australian Energy Market Operator;
the Clean Energy Council of WA;
Horizon Power;
Simcoa;
Summit Southern Cross Power;
Synergy;
the WA Independent Power Association; and
Western Power.

The role and purpose of the Strategic Consultative Group are outlined in its Terms of Reference.

Transformation Design and Operation Working Group

The Transformation Design and Operation Working Group was established by the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit in August 2019. This working group provides a forum for stakeholders to offer expert and detailed technical input into the Energy Transformation Strategy work streams, with a particular focus on projects being delivered as part of the Foundation Regulatory Frameworks work stream.

The Energy Transformation Implementation Unit (Chair of the working group) encourages broad industry and stakeholder representation at meetings of the Transformation Design and Operation Working Group.

The Transformation Design and Operation Working Group replaces the former Market Design and Operation Working Group and the Power System Operation Working Group of the Market Advisory Committee, which were disbanded in July 2019.

The role and purpose of the Transformation and Operation Working Group are outlined in its terms of reference.

Open Consultation Processes

Whole of System Plan

On 12 July 2019, the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit convened an Industry Forum to outline and seek feedback on the proposed modelling scenarios. Further information is available on the Energy Transformation webpage.

Distributed Energy Resources

On 30 July 2019, the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit held the the first Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap ‑ Industry Workshop.

Further information is available on the Energy Transformation webpage.

Foundation Regulatory Frameworks

As part of the Foundation Regulatory Frameworks workstream, the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit has held several Transformation Design and Operation Working Group meetings to develop policy design parameters for the new Wholesale Electricity Market. The team is now drafting proposed Amending Rules for the various policy design parameters.

Delivering the Future Power System

In April 2020, the Taskforce endorsed the Information Paper- Generator Performance Standards- Regulatory Framework, Monitoring and Rectification. On 16 June 2020, the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit (ETIU) held a workshop to seek stakeholder feedback on the proposed Amending Rules to the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) Rules to implement the framework for Market Participants wishing to connect generating systems to the transmission network . Stakeholders were also invited to provide written comment.
The ETIU revised the Amending Rules to address stakeholder comments as appropriate, with the revised version and explanatory memorandum provided below.

Stakeholders are invited to provide any written feedback on errors to the Amending Rules by contacting Mena Gilchrist, Assistant Director- Power System Security and Reliability by phone (08 6551 4655), or email (mena.gilchrist@energy.wa.gov.au), or by submitting a written submission to tdowg@energy.wa.gov.au.

The closure date for submissions will be announced following the release of the draft Appendix 12 to the WEM Rules, which is planned for mid-July. This timing is intended to allow stakeholders to consider how draft Chapter 3A and Appendix 12 work together

Previous Consultation Processes

Constrained Network Access

The Public Utilities Office published consultation papers on Constrained Network Access during the period February to March 2018 and August to October 2018.

Delivering Future Power System

In August 2019, the Taskforce endorsed the Information Paper - Governance Framework for Constraint Equations. On 11 December 2019, the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit (ETIU) held a workshop to seek stakeholder feedback on the proposed Amending Rules to the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) Rules to implement the governance framework for constraint equations. Stakeholders were also invited to provide written comment by 31 January 2020.

The ETIU revised the Amending Rules to address stakeholder comments as appropriate. On 24 April 2020, the Taskforce endorsed the Amending Rules. These will be provided to the Minister to make under regulation 7(5) of the Electricity Industry (Wholesale Electricity Market) Regulations 2004.

The Amending Rules and explanatory memorandum are provided below to enable stakeholders to see the revisions to address their comments. Stakeholders have until 5pm Monday 11 May 2020 to inform the ETIU if there are any critical errors in the revised Amending Rules (however are asked to not further comment on policy matters). Comments can be provided to energytransformation@energy.wa.gov.au

Stakeholder Information Session

On 28 May 2019, the Hon Bill Johnston MLA, Minister for Energy and Mr Stephen Edwell, Chair of the Energy Transformation Taskforce held a stakeholder information session on the Energy Transformation Strategy, the role of the Energy Transformation Taskforce, and the proposed engagement of stakeholders in the delivery of the Strategy.

Presentation from the Chair of the Taskforce (PDF)

Page reviewed 7 July 2020