COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – Australian Energy Market Commission
On 12 December 2019, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) released a draft rule determination for the Short Term Forward Market rule change request (ERCO259). The AEMC has determined not to make a draft rule in relation to introducing a voluntary short term forward market (STFM) in the national electricity market (NEM).
On 20 December 2018, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) submitted a rule change request to the AEMC proposing the introduction of a STFM for electricity derivatives, operating alongside the NEM, which could:
- contribute to the reliable and secure supply of electricity by addressing potential barriers to demand side participation, and creditworthiness and collateral requirements for smaller participants—providing more avenues for participation could lead to more efficient spot market outcomes and long term investments;
- improve short term operational decisions of market participants in the face of volatile market conditions, e.g. holding a swap contract incentivises generators to be available when needed to earn revenue in the spot market to fund payouts on their contract positions; and
- support long term contracting by providing signals of market expectations of future spot prices, lowering the cost of financing investment in generation capacity and underwrite retailers' fixed price offers to end-customers.
In its draft rule determination, the AEMC has concluded that a STFM is unlikely to generate material benefit to consumers, based on (inter alia):
- findings that there is limited demand for short term hedging products and, if demand were to develop, industry can facilitate the trade of such products;
- if introduced, a STFM would not be actively traded on and would not provide any investment signals, or materially improve short term operational decisions; and
- enduring reforms that bring the NEM closer to a two-sided market would be of more value to participants and AEMO with respect to reliability and security than a STFM.
Having regard to the issues raised in the rule change request and during its consultation, the AEMC has not been satisfied the proposed rule will, or is likely to, contribute to the achievement of the national electricity objective (NEO), and invites public submissions on its draft rule determination by 6 February 2020.
The AEMC’s draft rule determination has been assessed by the Office of Best Practice Regulation as compliant with requirements for a Council of Australian Government’s Consultation RIS.
Please note: any accessibility queries should be directed to the Australian Energy Market Commission.