Aussie regulator permits coordination between electricity participants (updated)
30/11/2023 24:34
(Adds details, ACCC comment and context on authorization in
paragraphs 2-6)
Nov 30 (Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog on
Thursday authorised the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
and participants in the electricity market to share information
such as the schedule of repairs, maintenance, renewals upgrades
and new connections.
Last month, the Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (ACCC) said it intended to deny authorization for
industry participants to coordinate sharing information on
concerns that it would breach the country's competition laws.
The authorisation comes as ACCC recognises the
challenges in managing the national electricity market during
the transition to renewable electricity generation, and is aimed
at assisting the AEMO manage the scheduling of outages during
the transition.
The country's top gas retailers - Origin Energy ORG.AX ,
AGL Energy AGL.AX and EnergyAustralia, owned by Hong Kong's
CLP Holdings 0002.HK - are registered under the AEMO as
participants in the national electricity market.
Origin, AGL and EnergyAustralia did not immediately respond
to Reuters' requests for a comment.
"The proposed coordination will increase the AEMO's ability
to manage the scheduling of outages, providing greater security
for the supply of electricity over the next two summer periods,
which are forecast to be challenging," ACCC Deputy Chair Mick
Keogh said.
ACCC also imposed a series of conditions on concerns that
this kind of coordination and information sharing between
electricity competitors can reduce competition in the supply of
electricity and for the acquisition of maintenance services.
(Reporting by Ayushman Ojha; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
((Ayushman.Ojha@thomsonreuters.com;))