As of today, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has become the rule maker in the Northern Territory for parts of the National Electricity Rules.
In a significant step towards a national energy framework, the Northern Territory is now covered by certain chapters of the rules that regulate access to the network and set revenue that networks are allowed to recover.
This follows the Territory’s adoption of the National Electricity Law.
As the Northern Territory is not physically connected to the National Electricity Market, the rules will include minor amendments to recognise the differences for a non-interconnected network, within an overarching and uniform set of national rules. The national rules will now apply to electricity networks in the Darwin – Katherine interconnected system, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs.
The changes allow the Commission to contribute to development of the Territory’s electricity market framework.
The Northern Territory is also considering adopting other parts of the rules in the future The AEMC has prepared a Northern Territory version of the NER.
Western Australia is also considering adopting parts of the NER, which means all states and territories may be integrated into the national framework in the near future.
